Symbolic Play Test; an assessment test for children, 12 to 36 months old, to explore their non-verbal semantic development concept formation and symbolization; invented by M. Lowe and A.J. Costello in 1976 and published by NFER-Nelson in 1988.

These toys were used as a language assessment test for children aged 12-36 months. They form a ‘symbolic play test’. Symbolic play tests assess a child’s early concept formation and symbolisation. Both are thought a precondition for learning language. The test was invented in 1976 by psychologists M. Lowe and A. J. Costello. It was published by NFER Nelson in 1988.