A child who is beginning to walk will show a decreased interest in play. When a child begins to walk, the way in which he experiences his environment changes. This change may be manifested in the way he plays. Study results revealed a tendency to a decrease in the child’s level of persistence, concentration and attentiveness at the onset of walking in comparison to the pre-walking stage…

Your baby, who used to play so nicely, suddenly seems less attentive and appears to have difficulty concentrating. There could be a good reason for this—it could be that he is beginning to walk. New research at the Faculty of Education of the University of Haifa found that a baby’s learning to walk affects his play skills. “Parents need to know that they should modify their demands from their child during certain periods of change and development in order to encourage their child and enhance his feelings of mastery and competence,” said Dr. Eleanor Schneider who conducted the research under the direction of Prof. Anat Scher…

Results revealed a tendency to a decrease in the child’s level of persistence, concentration and attentiveness at the onset of walking in comparison to the pre-walking stage. This “regression” in play behavior was short-term since the child’s persistence and attentiveness tended to increase and improve after mastering the initial stages of independent walking. The researcher also witnessed a regression, albeit not decisive, in task-directed behaviors during this period…

Source: Newswise
http://www.newswise.com/articles/view/530349/