Genital play

Genital play is a common early childhood behavior of genital exploration distinct from autoerotic stimulation. This behavior is part of a normative period of children exploring all of their bodies, and some psychologists have even suggested genital play is a sign of healthy psychosexual development. [http://muextension.missouri.edu/xplor/hesguide/humanrel/gh6002.htm GH6002 Sexuality and Your Child: For Children Ages 3 to 7, MU Extension ] ] Though genital play may rarely evolve directly into masturbation, the behavior is sometimes misinterpreted directly as masturbation by adults. Genital play usually manifests in boys between six-seven years of age; and in girls at ten-eleven years. [ [http://books.google.com/books?id=Mgrxw_SZUg8C&pg=PA165&lpg=PA165&dq=%22genital+play%22&source=web&ots=YKj3th1NQK&sig=n7VSm-yK7mmTST4F8TcZ5swLewY#PPA201,M1 "Human Sexuality and its problems" by Jon D. Bancroft] ] It may take place in groups, and sometimes utilizing inanimate objects such as dolls. [ [http://books.google.com/books?id=Mgrxw_SZUg8C&pg=PA165&lpg=PA165&dq=%22genital+play%22&source=web&ots=YKj3th1NQK&sig=n7VSm-yK7mmTST4F8TcZ5swLewY#PPA201,M1 "Human Sexuality and its problems" by Jon D. Bancroft] ] It may continue, most often in boys, through the fifth year. There is then most commonly a sexual latency period between genital play and the onset of typically adolescent behaviors such as masturbation. [ [http://info.dhhs.state.nc.us/olm/manuals/dss/csm-60/chg/CN0804Att2.pdf North Carolina Dept. of Health and Human Services online publications] ]

ee also

*Child sexuality

References

Further reading

* [http://books.google.com/books?id=3CSPO-3oVQsC&pg=PA128&lpg=PA128&dq=%22genital+play%22&source=web&ots=qFk8M_uZTm&sig=Cw11TWLFiPq5d9lfeqqktNPqpr8 Modern Psychoanalysis: New Directions and Perspectives] By Judd Marmor