Child’s Play is Serious Business Essay

Play is the way children learn and is a word that is used to describe the different activities behaviours that children participate in, this would concur with “Vygotsky’s (1978) social constructivist theory that suggests that play promotes both mental and social development for children” (cited in Goulding, 2016, p16). Early childhood educators such as Froebel and Vygotsky have always promoted the importance of the outdoor learning environment. According to Vygotsky (1978), children learn through interacting with the environment and through social interaction with others. Social constructivist theory, believes play is important for the growth of a child’s cognitive emotional and social development and

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

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

Support is a key issue in this stage as well. If parents and preschool teachers encourage and support children's efforts, while also helping them make realistic and appropriate choices, children develop initiative- independence in planning and undertaking activities Without support, a sense of guilt can develop and follow through the rest of the stages until the conflict is dealt with. But if, instead, adults discourage the pursuit of independent activities or dismiss them as silly and bothersome, children develop guilt about their needs and desires.[6]

Children are motivated to learn when they have opportunities to make choices in an environment that is secure, enriching and stimulating. Children are curious from infancy and have a desire to learn from their environment and people around them. When children are encouraged to interact with their peers and adults in positive ways, they feel safe to explore their surroundings.

Children develop normally when they are exposed to different types of play that allow them to express themselves while using their imaginations and being physically active. According to the Center for Health Education, Training and Nutrition Awareness, “Play is child’s work”; this is true because it is a child’s job is to learn and develop in their first few years of life, in order for them to do this, they play (CHETNA). Not only is playing a child’s full time job, the United Nations High Commission for Human Rights listed play as a right of every child (Ginsburg). Through their full time job of play, the children develop emotionally, socially, physically, and creatively. Children need to participate in child-led play in order to

I enjoyed learning about Piaget’s beliefs that infants are smart and active learners who adapt to experience. He theorizes there are four distinct periods of cognitive

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.

In Initiative vs Guilt, Erikson illustrates the turmoil one undergoes, when as a preschooler, new activities and levels of supervision contribute to a child’s sense of purpose. He goes on to illustrate how a child’s ability or inability to succeed can either lead to feelings of accomplishment or ineffectiveness. Feelings of self-worth can be dashed or cultivated. This early childhood spans from three years old to 5th grade. (see charts on pages 13-14, and 136). For my part, I was so shy, that I did not even want my teacher to call role. The first day was always the worst as it led to two events. One was that inevitability, that the teacher would say my name wrong. That led to two more equally disastrous events in my little

Piaget (1952) based his theory on his belief that cognitive development occurred in four specific stages; sensori-motor stage,

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 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-

Play-time is an essential part of early childhood development as well as their most primitive form of expression. In an article titled “The Importance of Play” by Bruno Bettelheim, he refers to Sigmund Freud’s thoughts that play is a child’s first step in attaining “cultural and psychological achievements”. (Bettelheim 324) The

Research, past and present, clearly points to the importance of play for the healthy and full development of the young child. Piaget theorized that a child's mental models, or cognitive structures, are based on the child's activities: engagement makes meaning. Many children today are not benefiting from a balance of intellect and imagination. Play is declining in our schools and preschools to meet the social

Jean Piaget’s theory of cognitive development is one the most widely accepted, his four stages of development are age based.