preview

Play Based Learning : A Context For Learning

Better Essays
Play-based learning has been defined as “a context for learning through which children organise and make sense of their social world as they engage actively with people, objects and representations” (DEEWR, 2009). Playing is one of the most important parts of a child’s development phase. The characteristics of play include active where children use their bodies and minds in their play, communicative where children will share knowledge of their play with others, enjoyable where they will be able to have fun, meaningful as plays help them to build and extend their knowledge and sociable and interactive as when playing they will need to interact with others. Playing also allows children to interact with adults and this exchange of ideas between children and adults in play contexts influence children’s continued motivation in the experience. As children develop, the skills, values and knowledge they have gained from plays will provide the foundations for the next phase.
There are considerable benefits of play for children’s learning across all areas of learning. Play is often associated with the development of intellectual skills and understanding. In play experiences, children integrate emotions, thinking and motivation that boost effective brain functioning. Children often use their imagination when playing and this enables them to develop complex cognitive or intellectual processes. The development of cognitive skills, including dispositions for learning, memory and thinking
Get Access