Children have a natural inclination to play, alongside a natural instinct to learn and to be curious and inventive, which are characteristics of the human race in general. This quote taken from Janet Moyles is a good starting point for this essay. It is well known that children love to play. If a child were to be left to his/her own devices they would happily play and create new worlds anywhere they were left. It has been well documented and researched that children learn excellently through play. However they are not always given the opportunity to do so, instead being told to, ‘finish your work and then you can go play’. Obviously this is not always the case, but the fact that it is a common practice shows that we do not all fully appreciate the importance of play to children’s learning. This essay will attempt to show how children learn through play, making reference to current theory and practice. I will also give examples from my own first-hand experience of how children learn and develop as people through play. Julie Fisher (1996) suggests that young children learn by ‘being active’, ‘organising their own learning experiences’, ‘using language’ and ‘interacting with others’. I would agree with this statement up to a point. However, she does not mention if the activities should be structured. While I agree that children will learn from being active through a process of trial and improvement, I believe that with older children it would be a lot more beneficial to give the child a structure build upon. For example, before I began this PCGE course, I used to train my local under eleven Gaelic Football team. Say for instance they had never played before and they turned up to training at 7:00 but the training was not until 7... ... middle of paper ... ...ctive. Play is an essential learning tool and one that must not be ignored within the classroom. It is a catalyst to help children develop socially, emotionally, physically and cognitively. It is not only an important part of a child’s development as a pupil but also a child’s development as an individual. Works Cited • Moyles, J (2007) Beginning Teaching Beginning Learning in Primary Education, 3rd ed. London: Open University Press • Doherty, J and Hughes, M (2009) Child Development: Theory and Practice 0-11, Essex: Pearson Education Ltd • Kyriacou, C. (2001) Effective Teaching in Schools: Theory and Practice, 2nd ed. Nelson Thornes Ltd. • Drake, J. (2005) Planning Children’s play and learning in the foundation stage, 2nd ed. London: David Fulton Publishers Ltd. • Moyles, J. (2005) The Excellence of Play, 2nd edition, London: Open University Press
In this essay I will outline the curricular systems for the 0-5 age group in England and Scotland. I will examine in detail the planning and assessment provisions of these systems which allow early years practitioners to gain insight into children's learning and to aid them in that regard. I will draw comparison between the practices of these two countries where possible, and provide criticism of each.
Sayeed, Z and Guerin, E (2000). Early Years Play: A Happy Medium for Assessment and Intervention. London: David Fulton Publishers Ltd.
Numerous sources have concluded that it is a necessity for children to have time to play for countless reasons; this includes the development of their mind and bodies. When observing a young child at the age of 4 on November 1st, 2016 I found information that supported why play was essential to children 's development. When conducting this observation I was unable to participate in the children 's classroom activities, but only allowed to watch and listen. During this observation, we were asked to pick one student to observe for this observation. I chose a student whose name was Wyatt, he demonstrated that play is a crucial part of their learning in terms of mood and interactions.
A research by Gabriel, Doiron, Baldacchino, McKenna & O’Keef (2012) concluded that, early education investors may differ in how they believe play should take shape inside ECE centers. However, they cannot deny that fact that play does have a large impact on the development
Doherty, J & Hughes M. (2009). Introducing Child Development. In: Child Development Theory and Practice 0-11. England: Pearson Education Limited. p12-52.
All children play and it is something that most children do because they are having fun, but without realising children are developing and learning skills when they are engaged in play. Play helps stimulate the mind as it is practical and gives children the chance to explore and experience new situations. It can also ensure that children get to think by themselves and be spontaneous as they control their own play. Children get the chance to be creative and imaginative which develops independence for children. Play is vital for child development and helps children develop five main areas of development:
...r, S and Maudsley, M. (2006) Play, naturally. [Online]. [Cited 6TH April 2011] available at: http://www.playday.org.uk/PDF/play-naturally-a-review-of-childrens-natural%20play.pdf
Thinking back on my childhood, I first remember all the times I played outside in my backyard. I would pretend to dig up dinosaur bones or create imaginary realms of ancient lands; there I would perform diplomatic services for the people in need. I was usually alone, and those are some of my fondest memories. When I first decided to become a teacher and thought about what is important to my philosophy on how children learn, I immediately knew I was a strong believer in play. Although, many decision makers such as legislators and school district leaders believe in more academic types of learning styles, my paper will discuss why play is so powerful and important to children.
In life, no action is absent of a reaction. Every effect is linked to a cause, whether seen or unseen and play is no exception. As adults, play is not a foreign concept to us, we just chose not to engage in it and have diminutive space for it reserved in our day-to-day schedules. However, it is essential in the lives of young children.
Before diving into my research, I reflected on the knowledge I already knew regarding play and play based learning. From experience, I know that play is an enjoyable activity for children, and even some adults. I know that there are different ways one can play. For example, playing with others is known as cooperative play and playing alone is considered solitary play. There are different types of play. For example, there is dress up or pretend games, which is considered dramatic, play and there is playing with building blocks which is constructive play. After my reflection I realized that I was more knowledgeable on the action of playing rather then the benefits of it.
Sylva, M., Kyriacou, M., Wild, M. and Glenny, G. (2009). (2009). Learning, Playing and Interacting Good practice in the Early Years Foundation Stage. [online], available: http://www.keap.org.uk/documents/LearningPlayingInteracting.pdf [accessed 5 March, 2014].
As time goes on, things change. Some of these changes are positive, while others can be seen as negative. This is true for most things, including childhood play. It has been proven that children need play time for developmental purposes. Play promotes all types of learning. It teaches kids how to function in social systems, interact with others, solve problems, and deal with emotions. Playtime is not just for fun! Playtime in schools used to be more prominent. Schools now focus on the paper aspect, children are taught to test. Educators need to see the flaws in our current system. Play based learning is best for young kids. It is engaging as well as beneficial for the student. Teaching children to test may make the school look good, but it
Increased knowledge of a child’s developmental milestones can lead to early detection of developmental delays and health issues is beneficial to parents and professionals that work with children. Knowledge of the development of different types of play gives educators and parents a foundation for proper teaching strategies. Goodman (1994) reported that the preeminent teaching for young children happens at the midpoint of a continuum between play and work. Therefore, it is worth understanding the contextual origins and current research related on these issues. At the upcoming National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) Conference, I will be handing out flyers
...S., … Killen, R. (2009). Professional Practice in Primary Education. South Melbourne, VIC: Cengage Learning Australia Pty Limited.
Play is important aspect of life, whether it is in school, at home, or just for fun. It is something that we should all take into consideration, to make things more engaging. Play increased my ability to engage the other parts of the brain in order to be creative. It encouraged me to try new things, to be imaginative in ways that I never thought possible. Play allowed me to feel various levels of joy and focus with less stress. It also allowed me to challenge different parts of our brain and adapt a sense of Mental Mobility (Brown, 2010).