This paper reports on the role of joint attentional processes in the development of children’s skill at using pictorial plans to construct objects. Efforts to establish joint attentional focus between mother and child were identified, and the nature and extent of maternal assistance and child involvement during planning were examined. Sixteen 4 to 5-year-old and sixteen 6 to 7-year-old children and their mothers participated in three problem-solving sessions (i.e., child-only pre-test and post-test, and mother-child interaction) that involved constructing a toy from multiple pieces using a pictorial, step-by-step plan. Older children were more planful than younger children during all the planning sessions. Mothers planning with younger children assumed greater responsibility for establishing joint attentional episodes than mothers planning with older children. Results indicate that mothers tailor their guidance on joint planning tasks in relation to developmental needs, and that an important aspect of these efforts is the establishment and maintenance of joint attention.
