Child and mother play in cultures of origin, acculturating cultures, and cultures of destination

Abstract

Immigrant (Japanese and South Americans in the United States) families’ play was compared to play in families in their countries of origin (Japan and Argentina, respectively) and in a common country of destination (European Americans in the United States). Two hundred and forty 20-month-old children and their mothers participated. Generally, the play of immigrant children and mothers was similar to European American children's and mothers’ play. Japanese and Argentine children engaged in more symbolic play, whereas immigrant children engaged in more exploratory play. Likewise, South American immigrant mothers demonstrated and solicited more exploratory play than Argentine mothers. Japanese mothers solicited more symbolic play, and Argentine mothers demonstrated more symbolic play than immigrant mothers. The findings from this study provide insight into the nature of child and mother play generally and that of immigrant children and their mothers specifically and shed light on the parenting climate in which immigrant children are reared.