Mister Rogers

In his gentle, encouraging style, TV's ""Mister Rogers,'' helped by Head, takes a thorough look at the matter of children's play, which, he observes, should not be considered by parents as the child's way of warding off boredom. Instead (as others have noted), play provides the foundation for a person's self-expression, self-esteem and self-control. Thus, the authors advise, parents ought to loosen their collars and think of their offsprings' playtime in terms of creative spirit. Providing concrete activities to accompany Rogers's theories, the authors suggest, for example, that to help children understand that growing takes time, a carrot top be planted in a household container. Further, stick or spoon puppets can be tools for showing lifelike situationsand for helping children learn the difference between fantasy and reality. (April)