The relationship of play behavior to cognitive ability in developmentally disabled preschoolers.

The team gave two kinds of tests to preschoolers with delays. One test watched kids play with toys. The other test used well-known IQ scales like Bayley and Stanford-Binet.

They wanted to see if play scores matched the IQ scores. They split the kids into groups: typical play, atypical play, and language-disordered.

For most kids, play scores and IQ scores lined up only a little. The link was even weaker for kids who played oddly. For kids with big language problems, the two scores were far apart.

In short, a child might look smart while playing but score low on a standard IQ test, or the other way around.

Konstantareas et al. (1999) showed the Stanford-Binet IV stays stable over five weeks in adults with ID. That supports using the Binet, but Hansen et al. (1989) warn the same test can miss ability in language-disordered preschoolers.

Hudry et al. (2014) found early receptive language drops in babies who later get ASD. Together with Hansen et al. (1989), this tells us to double-check any low score that rests on language.

Reyes et al. (2019) saw that temperament shifts over time in kids with DD. Hansen et al. (1989) saw scores shift by test type. Both papers remind us: one snapshot is not a life label.

Before you write a report, give at least two kinds of tasks: one hands-on play and one standard IQ. If scores differ, look at language skills and play style. A child who can’t answer questions might still solve problems with toys. Use the higher score to plan lessons, not to brag, but to set goals the child can actually reach.