Maria Montessori Exploratory Play

Play is essential to every part of children’s lives and is important to their development. It provides the children with different ways of doing things children will want to explore and learn new things.

The Playwork Principles (2006) state “All children and young people need to play. The impulse to play is innate”.

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

Why is it important for a child to play? In one article, it is stated that free, unstructured play is important for a child’s brain development (Anonymous, 2016). It allows for the child to not only

This assignment is all about play and learning for children and young people. Play is engaging in an activity for enjoyment and pleasure however can also be used for learning purposes and development in children and young people. Play activities can be planned by practitioners within the setting or can be free-play, when a child goes off and plays by themselves. Play can be carried out individually or in groups and can also be carried out in different environments such as indoors and outdoors. ‘Research confirms the importance of play for infants in developing children’s brains and minds.’ (http://playtherapy.org.uk/ChildrensEmotionalWellBeing/AboutPlayTherapy/MainPrinciples/PlayDefinition) this is why practitioners encourage young children

The Early Years Learning Framework relates the importance of play to notions of belonging, being and becoming. It states that children make sense of their social worlds through playing with others (DEEWR, 2009). Article 13 of the UN Convention reads that every child has the right to rest and leisure, to engage in play and recreational activities appropriate to the age of the child (Connor, 2010). It is important to note that play has multiple approaches and that children’s play varies greatly according to culture, interests,

There is a part in the handbook, learning and teaching play. Play involves the holistic child, from the physical, psychological, intellectual, social, and emotional. Either by working independently or group work. Play is now a big part of the curriculum as doesn’t just help with the teaching side, but it also gives the children a way to relax and be themselves, and to express their feelings or what is going on in their life through play. (http://ccea.org.uk accessed on 29th November 2016)

Inspired by the work of Itard and Seguin, two almost forgotten French doctors, Maria Montessori took the idea of scientific approach to develop her theories, principles and beliefs in early childhood education, which through observation and experimentation. All the learning activities and teaching materials are purposeful and aimed to stimulate senses, mind, and provide self-esteem and achievement.

Throughout the twentieth century, due to a heavy increase in immigration rates, schools had become like a factory. This is to say, education had become mass-produced. Class numbers became higher, teachers were now required to teach ‘to the test’, everyone learned the same material in the same way. However, in more recent years, it has been brought to light that this educational model may not be the most effective one, especially in regards to elementary education and kindergarten. In turn, the popularity of play-based education programs has been on the rise in an effort to de-industrialize education and transform the classroom into an environment in which children can learn in a way that is more natural to them.

Play contributes to children’s “physical, emotional and social well-being” (Else, 2009, p.8) and through play, the child’s holistic development and well-being is being constantly accounted for as is it led by the individual. The child decides what s/he wants to do and does it; it is

‘All children and young people need to play. The impulse to play in innate. Play is a biological, psychological and social necessity and is fundamental to the healthy

Studying how children learn to play is in fact intense as a university student because there are many different types of play to learn such as social play, which involves the child interacting with other children in a play setting where children learn and begin to become fond of the social rules such as sharing, giving and taking objects and also being cooperative with other children. Through social play children are able to learn about what is in the world around them also developing their social, emotional, physical, literacy and numeracy skills through play. Children are able to learn about themselves, their environment, the people involved in their lives and the world around them. When a child plays, he or she learns to

Play is the foundation stone of children’s healthy and productive lives (Oliver & Klugman, 2002) and is also a significant means of child’s learning and development (Zigler, Singer & Bishop-

“For young children, there is no distinction between play and learning; they are one and the same. Playing is a priority in early childhood, yet not all play is the same” (Butler, 2008, p. 1). Since the beginning of mankind children have imitated adults and learned to survive through play. Evidence of this includes toys and board games from 6,000 years ago that have been found in Egypt and Asia (Dollinger, 2000). In the last two centuries, child’s play has been observed and studied by theorists and recognized as an important tool for adult life. Three theorists that studied children and spent their lives researching how children develop were Erik Erikson, Jean Piaget and Lev Vygotsky. These theorists agreed that from the time a child is

Everything a child learns is learned through play. It is essential to a child's development. Playing is experiencing and it is through experience that children learn.