Importance of Play in Education and Development of Children Under 5 Years
David Moore
Charter Oak State College
Introduction
The training and development of an individual begins at birth and continues well into adulthood. However, the first five years offer a strategic platform for establishing an individual’s intellectual foundation. Since, it is in these formative years that a child learns the language and simple arithmetic, which are rudiments on which further knowledge is built on (Burchinal, Roberts, Nabors, & Bryant, 1996). Nonetheless, Kohn (2015) laments that over the past 20 years; there has been a shift in paradigm in the manner in which children are taught. Initially, the play was the main mode of teaching children below the age of five; however, this has since changed to an instruction based approach. Is this shift from play to instruction-based approach commendable particularly in children under five years? Numerous scholarly articles have contributed to the debate. According to an observational study carried out by Leopold (1949), the play is vital especially in the early years of a child’s life. In contrast, Willis (1977) argues that classwork be critical since it is the parameter used by to award employment. Given the contrasting perspectives, the research seeks to identify the role of play as a construct in fostering to education and even development of children below the age of five years. Both structure and play are vital, as such; it is
I believe that children learn through play. In play, children make choices, solve problems, converse, negotiate and resolve conflicts. They practice and develop physical, social, intellectual, and language abilities. As they play, children are able to express and work out emotional aspects of everyday experiences and events they discover upsetting. Through playing together and participate in different roles, children also develop in their skills to perceive something from another person’s perspectives and to involve in leading and following behaviors—both of which they will need to get along well as adults. In all these ways, play can be a milieu
The relationship between play and learning seems obvious to many child professionals and parents, and yet there are still lack of understanding surrounding the importance of children's play. Some people believe that children need to "work" not play, and that playing serves no useful purpose in a learning and development environment. This is surprising considering that play, with its high levels of motivation and potential enjoyment empowers children (as well as people
The terms “play”, “learn” and “teach” are commonly used in the early childhood sector. This essay attempts to define and interconnect these terms to produce a holistic understanding of how play can be used as a medium to help children learn.
Play is central to the development of children, enabling them to make sense of their world as they learn through exploration and experimentation. Susan Isaacs said ‘play is indeed the child’s work and the means whereby he grows and develops’. (Isaacs,1929) Play can support a child’s social, emotional and behavioural development through the following:
Early childhood educators are well aware of how important a role play is to a child's learning and development. Teachers intuitively know that play is an integral part of a young child's life. Being able to play, both with others and alone is a crucial aspect of a child's healthy development. Much research has been conducted on the subject of play and children's development. It has been documented that play enhances a child's physical, emotional, social, and creative
Although it has been 15 years since I played with building blocks and enjoyed taking a nap in a kindergarten classroom, playing with other kids and using games to learn fundamental skills like counting and how to write the alphabet are some of the most vivid memories from my fairly young childhood. Even going back and visiting the elementary school I attended, I don’t see the “formal education” method that David Kohn mentions in his NYTimes article, “Let Kids Learn Through Play”.
This document examines the current research as well as the views from theorists such as Vygotsky who believe that play supports children in all areas of development (CMEC, 2012). When children are playing they are learning and discovering a great deal of information about their world. In the document it provides information about the scientific evidence supporting learning through play and the benefits that it has on brain development (CMEC, 2012). It has been proven that children will develop better social, emotional and cognitive skills when they are playing (CMEC, 2012). Through play children are able to make sense of their world and acquire and practice skills that they can use for their entire lives. In the document that the Council of Ministers of Education, Canada released it emphasizes the need for children to play and to be actively engaged in their environment (CMEC, 2012). This documents states that early childhood educators should plan and create play- based learning experiences for children (CMEC, 2012). I think it is important that early childhood educators recognize the importance in play based learning and provide children with experiences that encourage them to challenge and expand their own thinking and
Children learn best through play. Educational play is the best way to teach young children. Children learn best when they have access to learning opportunities that match their preferred learning development. Young children are active learners; their brain develops faster than any other point in their lives. I trust every child is a special person who needs a protected, mindful, and strengthening air in which to create and grow deep down, rationally, physical, and social.
Another way that play has changed is through education, play is seen as a way to educate children by letting them explore their surroundings and learn from their experiences, which has been developed into a curriculum for 3 to 7 year olds called the Foundation Phase (Gov.wales, 2014). The idea and concept of learning through play was taken from the Reggio Emilia approach. Less than a decade ago, children didn’t have the opportunity to learn through play and were taught through books or sat at a desk doing worksheet tasks, play was seen as leisure for children and not in a way to learn. Also comparing today’s educational system to earlier eras, school wasn’t seen to be as important for children, they had to go to work to provide for their families. (Bbc.co.uk, 2014) Children today get to gain an array of skills and knowledge that allows them to progress through the learning spectrum and having more freedom within their learning. With this children are
There are numerous theories of play and countless theorists, from Freud and Spencer to Piaget and Vygotsky, who have studied play in relation to what it is and what it does for the child. This essay will outline the definition and value of play and the importance of how it can foster the child’s learning in regards to these theorists who studied the effects in great detail. It will discuss the how the environments constructed by educators can impact play and the theories of learning relating to the quote “play and learning are inextricably woven together ...” Ebbeck and Waniganayake, 2010, p. 5).
Play is an important part of children’s life that keeps them healthy both physically and mentally. It is a way through which children explore their imagination, build various skills required for their development in different areas. In this essay, importance of play in children’s learning and development is discussed in relation to Piaget’s cognitive theory, Vygotsky socio-cultural theory and Te Whaariki. Moreover, the teacher’s role and strategies used in encouraging the play-based curriculum in early childhood education are also discussed.
play is an excellent opportunity for adult to scaffolding learning during play can be particularly successful because, as children‘s own purposes and needs direct play, they are more discernible to the observe and, the child is working athis highestlevel, the adult can more easily gauge whether the level of challenge is with the child’s ZPD. Duncan and Lockwood, (2008:95) role of observation during Play is an instrument to observation which creates opportunity for children to display their disposition and attitude from their innermost in which enable practitioners to observe children’s play. -Friedrich Froebel (1887) believed strongly in the importance of play, they felt that based on observations of children at play it gave teachers in sight into the children’s interests and the curriculum could be developed for those interests. (Downey and Garzoil, 2007) Fawcett,(2009:p15) explains “observation is about taking children seriously, hearing what they have to say, respecting interpretations, and value their imagination and ideas, their unexpected theories, their exploration of feeling sound viewpoints.’’ And also Duncan and Lockwood, (2008) argued that `observation is not just looking; it also involves listening and note- taking in an objective manner’. Further explain we can observe play either formally or informally’: a child who feels emotionally uncomfortable in class or who is unhappy willfind it difficult to take up an activity, and even more so, to become involved in
It is clear that play is an intricate part of a child’s development. Nearly every milestone a child accomplishes between the ages of 6 months to 5 years of age, play is how the interpret what they see and hear, and incorporate everyday adult activities in to imaginative play, to mold and shape the characters of their personalities. Like Vygotsky theory, “Children are practicing what they have learned in other settings or are constructing new knowledge, it is clear that play has a valuable role in the early childhood classroom.”
Alice Sterling Honig, author of an article “Play: Ten Power Boosts for Children’s Early Learning”, states that “children gain powerful knowledge and useful social skills through play” (p.126). Honig, who believes that play is essential for young children’s development, points out ten ways in which children can learn through play activity.
What is play? Play is “a recreational activity; especially the spontaneous activity of children.” (Webster, 2010) Play is such a basic function and daily routine in a child’s life. Although the roles of play and the types of play change though age, it all incorporates in the growth and development of a child.