Jody may appear to be settled when her mother leaves but she is still in her transition zone. Sitting at the playdough table with the comfort of her bunny rabbit, she is taking time to watch what is going on around her and familiarising herself with her surroundings.

When sitting at the dough table Jody is displaying ‘unoccupied play’.

When she is ready, Jody moves from her safe watching space to an activity where she wants to play, is this planning? What made Jody chose the sand-tray? Here she voluntarily places her comfort toy to one side as she begins to play, her play here is ‘solitary play’.