A school nurse observes school-age children playing at recess. Which is descriptive of the play the nurse expects to observe?

A) Individuality in play is better tolerated than at earlier ages.
B) Knowing the rules of a game gives an important sense of belonging.
C) They like to invent games, making up the rules as they go.
D) Team play helps children learn the universal importance of competition and winning.

Play involves increased physical skill, intellectual ability, and fantasy. Children form groups and cliques and develop a sense of belonging to a team or club. At this age, children begin to see the need for rules. Conformity and ritual permeate their play. Their games have fixed and unvarying rules, which may be bizarre and extraordinarily rigid. With team play, children learn about competition and the importance of winning, an attribute highly valued in the United States.