The Importance of Play
Play is an important means for children to use to support their emotional, cognitive and physical development. Through play, children can use the skills they have already learned to increase their knowledge and understanding of the world. Children feel comfortable and confident when they are playing and also feel able to experiment, take risks, question and explore. Through their exploration, children are making connections and building up ideas, concepts and skills. Through play, children can gain a sense of achievement, thereby develop self-esteem.
Children learn through play and develop physical skills, for example, gross motor skills are developed as a child learns to reach, grasp, crawl, run, climb, and balance. Fine motor skills are developed as children handle toys, it also helps control of the hands and fingers improve. Play helps with cognitive development, for example, children learn to solve problems, colours, numbers, size and shapes through play. Through play children, develop language skills as a child plays and interacts with others. They also, develop social skills, for example, cooperating, taking turns, sharing, listening, and negotiating exist within the play rules.
Role of a practitioner
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Adult presence is important in different types of plays because a practitioner can set up different types of plays for children. A practitioner's presence at most activities is important as they can guide the children about the activity and show them how it should be done. Child-initiated and play activities are where the practitioners have a key role in supporting learning, there is an important place for activities initiated by adults. Adult-led activities provide the children opportunities for introducing new knowledge or ideas, and for developing and practising skills. The activities can provide a new incentive, or an opportunity to revisit or further develop learning. Sometimes the activities could be prompted by children’s interests as observed in their play. At other times practitioners will identify areas of learning which are less likely to be available to children through daily experience and play, where adults can best take a lead in introducing new ideas and concepts. This may provide open-ended opportunities where practitioners observe and support children’s learning during the experience and consider next steps based on children’s responses and have clearly specified learning objectives, which will be matched to children’s current learning to extend or strengthen what children know and can do. Children grow from a foundation of loving and secure relationships. This is normally provided by a child’s parents but it can also be provided by a key person/practitioner. A key person is a named member of staff with responsibilities for a small group of children who help those children in the group feel safe and cared for. A key person would respond sensitively to children’s feelings and behaviours and meeting emotional needs by giving reassurance, such as when they are new to a setting, and supporting the child’s well-being. The key person also supports the child's physical needs, helping with issues like nappy changing, toileting and dressing. That person is a familiar person who is approachable and available as a point of contact for parents and one who builds relationships with the child and parents or carers. The role of the practitioner in play should be to introduce children to new materials, environment and resources. To help children to play new games and new ways of playing. Also provide the children opportunity to develop the language by communicating them, also to ask children about sharing toys and shifting their turns to play. Attachments are the emotional bonds that young children develop with parents and other carers such as their key person/practitioners. Children with strong early attachments cry less when separated. They engage in more pretend play and maintain attention for longer. Children need to be safe in the relationship they have with parents or carers. They are vulnerable but will develop flexibility when their physical and emotional well-being is protected by an adult. Being emotionally attached to such an adult helps the child feel secure that the person they depend on is there for them. When children feel safe they are more likely to try things out and be more independent. They are confident to express their ideas and feelings and feel good about themselves. Attachment influences a child’s immediate all-round development and future relationships.
CHILDREN’S RIGHTS TO PLAY
The UN Convention on the Rights of the Child Article 31 states that 'Parties recognise the right of the child to rest and leisure, to engage in play and recreational activities appropriate to the age of the child and to participate freely in cultural life and the arts'. Article 31 of this convention is a promise made by almost every government to children and young people. It says that children have the right to rest, play and take part in art and cultural activities. In particular, we are interested in that every child has the right to play. Article 31 of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child includes a variety of areas including play, recreation, rest and the right to participate in cultural and artistic activities. It tells us how important play is. It says that children need to play in order to grow, learn and that play is a way of taking part in everyday life. Study shows that playing is necessary to children’s development and that in the early years it is especially important for the growth of the brain. Through play, children learn by doing, they explore and experience the world around them and learn to understand it. Children can play on their own, together with other children or with adults who support them. Loving and caring adults whether they be parents or practitioners can help children to develop through play.
Importance of Play Evaluated
Playing is very important for children as they get more active, both mentally and physically, when they play games. I work with many children at my setting, they all love to play a lot and I found that whenever the children in my setting play together, they improve in many things as they develop their interpersonal skills. All kinds of play, especially the kinds that involve make-believe, increases a child’s imagination. Whenever a child creates stories around the roles he/she creates for them self, they are learning to think and create in multiple methods, in ways beyond their world. Role-playing, fantasy and imaginative play help develop the cognitive ability and stimulate the multiple types of intelligence. Play allows for many opportunities to develop language, speech, and vocabulary. Whether they play alone, making up characters or pretending to be a superhero, or play with others, children do a lot of talking and listening while playing. Playing also provides opportunities for social interactions and social skills. The more children are involved in playing, the more interactions they form. During play, children learn how to be part of a group, to lead, to follow instructions, to negotiate, and to share essential skills that will prepare them for future academic performance and life satisfaction. The early year's foundation stage (EYFS) has set the statutory standards that all early year's providers must meet.
The EYFS aims to provide:
•Quality and consistency in all early years settings
•A secure foundation for all children for good progress through school and life
•Partnerships between different practitioners
•Partnerships between parents or carers and practitioners
•Equality of opportunity for all children
Early Years Pedagogical
Urie Bronfenbrenner (1917-2005)
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Ecological Systems
Bronfenbrenner produced the ecological systems theory to explain how everything in a child and the child's environment affects how a child grows and develops. Bronfenbrenner labelled different aspects or levels of the environment that influence children's development, including the:
•Microsystem.
•Mesosystem.
•Exosystem.
•Macrosystem
The Microsystem
The microsystem is the small, immediate environment the child lives in. Children's microsystems will include any immediate relationships or groups they associate with, such as their immediate family or caregivers and their school or day-care. How people interact with the child will have an effect on how the child grows the more encouraging and caring these relationships and places are, the better the child will be able to grow. Also, how a child acts or reacts to these people in the microsystem will affect the way the child will treat them back. Each child's special genetic and biologically influenced personality characteristics, what is known as temperament, will affect the way others treat them.
The Mesosystem
Bronfenbrenner's next level, the mesosystem, describes how the different parts of a child's microsystem work together for the benefit of the child.
For example, if a child's caregivers take an active role in a child's school, sports games etc, this will help ensure the child's overall growth. Then again, if the child's two sets of carers, for example, mom with step-dad and dad with step-mom, disagree how to best raise the child and give the child conflicting lessons when they see him, this will limit the child's growth in different channels.
The Exosystem
The exosystem level includes the other people and places that the child herself may not interact with often herself but that still have a large effect on her, such as parents' workplaces, extended family members, the neighbourhood, etc.
For example, if a child's parent loses his/her job, then may have negative effects on the child if her parents are unable to pay rent, to buy groceries or fulfil the child's requirements. However, if her parent receives a promotion and a raise at their job, then this may have a positive effect on the child because his/her parents will be better able to give his/her physical needs.
The Macrosystem
Bronfenbrenner's final level is the macrosystem, which is the largest and most remote set of people and things to a child but which still has a great influence over the child.
The macrosystem includes things such as the relative freedoms permitted by the national government, cultural values, the economy, wars, etc. These things can also affect a child either positively or negatively.
Reggio Emilia
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The Reggio Emilia Approach is an innovative and stimulating approach to early childhood education which values the child as strong, capable and flexible, full of wonder and knowledge. Every child brings with them deep curiosity and potential and this natural curiosity drives their interest to understand their world and their place within it.
Reggio Emilia believed that children are capable of constructing their own learning as they are driven by their interests to understand and learn more. Also, that children develop an understanding of themselves and their place in the world through their interactions with others. Reggio Emilia has a strong focus on social collaboration, for example, working in groups, where each child is an equal participant, having their thoughts and questions valued. Reggio Emilia believes that the adult is not the giver of knowledge but the children search out the knowledge through their own investigations. Reggio Emilia also said that children are communicators as they find a way of discovering things, asking questions, using language as play. In Reggio-inspired settings, there is an importance of carefully displaying and documenting children’s thoughts and progression of thinking. Also making the children's thoughts visible in many different ways such as photographs, transcripts of children’s thoughts and explanations, visual representations such as drawings, sculptures etc., all designed to show the child’s learning process. The well-known aspect of the Reggio Emilia Approach is the belief that children use many different ways to show their understanding and express their thoughts and creativity.
The Reggio Emilia Approach emphasises hands-on discovery learning that allows the child to use all their senses and all their languages to learn. Our role as a practitioner is to observe the children, listen to their questions and their stories, find out what their interests are and then provide them with opportunities to explore these interests further.
High Scope
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High Scope is a quality approach to early childhood care and education which has been formed and developed by research and practice over a forty-year period. It recognises and builds on children's strengths, interests and abilities. The basic belief of the High Scope approach is that children construct their own learning by doing and being involved in working with materials, people and ideas.
The basic principles of High Scope are the provision of a developmentally appropriate curriculum, consistency and genuine relationships that offer children the opportunities for active learning and personal initiative. These principles guide all High Scope practitioners in their daily work. Their work is told by working closely with parents and carers based on the principle of family inclusion and the different culture of the child. Adults in High Scope settings encourage children to become decision makers and problem solvers who can plan, initiate and reflect on work chosen by themselves, also work effectively individually, with other children, and with adults, and develop skills and characteristics which enable them to become successful students as they grow older.
The Plan-Do-Review Process
Planning is a process in which children learn to create and express their intentions in a group or individually, which is supported by an adult and the children plan what they wish to do. Children's planning becomes more sophisticated as they become familiar with the process. At work time children create experiences based upon their plans. Children need time for action and mistakes, to generate new ideas, practise and succeed. Personal independence is the Key to active learning by self-motivating children. During review time children reflect on their experiences at play and work. Where there is a high-quality curriculum, it will provide an occasion for children to reflect on their experiences with increasing verbal ability a logic as they develop.
Maria Montessori
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Montessori has five basic principles which represent how Montessori educators implement the Montessori method. These principles are:
1. respect for the child
2. the absorbent mind
3. sensitive periods
4. the prepared environment
5. auto-education
Respect for the Child
Respect for the child is the foundation on which all other Montessori principles rest. Practitioners show respect to the children while helping them do things and learn for themselves. When we give children choices, they are able to develop the skills and abilities necessary for effective learning autonomy, and positive self-esteem.
The Absorbent Mind
Montessori believed that children educate themselves. Montessori wanted us as practitioners to understand that children can’t help learning, they simply learn by the environment they live in. Children are born to learn, and they are exceptional learning systems. Then again, what they learn depends greatly on their teachers, experiences, and environments. Early years practitioners are relooking at the idea that children are born learning and with constant willingness and ability to learn.
Sensitive Periods
Montessori believed there are sensitive periods when children are more responsive to certain behaviours and can learn specific skills more easily. Although all children experience the same sensitive periods, for example, a sensitive period for writing, the progress and timing vary for each child. The role of the practitioner is to use observation to identify times of sensitivity and provide the setting for maximum fulfilment.
The Prepared Environment
Montessori believed that children learn best in a prepared environment, a place in which children can do things for themselves. The prepared environment makes learning materials and experiences available to children in an orderly format. Montessori described the classroom to be educators support when they talk about child-centred education and active learning. Freedom is the essential point of the prepared environment. As children inside the environment are free to explore materials of their own choosing, they absorb what they find there. Maria Montessori was a master at creating environments for young children that enabled them to be independent, active, and learn.
Auto-education
Montessori named the concept that children are capable of educating themselves auto-education also, sometimes known as self-education. Montessori said that children who are actively involved in a prepared environment and who exercise freedom of choice literally educate themselves. Montessori teachers prepare classrooms so that children educate themselves.
The Teacher’s Role
Montessori believed that “it is necessary for the teacher to guide the child without letting him feel her presence too much, so that she may be always ready to supply the desired help, but may never be the obstacle between the child and his experience" (Montessori, 1967).
The key behaviours that Montessori implemented in this child-centred approach are:
•Make children the centre of learning because, as Montessori said, “The teacher’s task is not to talk, but to prepare and arrange a series of motives for cultural activity in a special environment made for the child” (Dr Montessori's Own Handbook).
•Assist children to learn by providing freedom for them in the prepared environment.
•Observe children so that we can prepare the best possible environment, recognising sensitive periods and turning inappropriate behaviour to meaningful tasks.
•We must prepare the learning environment ensuring that learning materials are provided in an orderly format and the materials provide for appropriate experiences for all the children.
•We must always respect each child and form ongoing respect for all children and their work.
•Introduce learning materials, demonstrate learning materials, and support children’s learning. The teacher introduces learning materials after observing each child.
Rudolf Steiner
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The key features of Steiner schooling methods are:
1. Children need to learn through all senses
2. Imagination is at the heart of learning
3. Life skills are imperative to a complete education
4. A lifelong love for learning can be achieved through the arts
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