Play (Creative Play in General)

Member Name: littlemoo

Product:	Creative Play in General
Date:	25/09/01 (175 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: children learn

Disadvantages: none

Play is a key way in which young children learn with enjoyment and challenge. During play, children exhibit many of their skills and interests.

Early years workers play a significant role in:
 Planning and resourcing a challenging environment.
 Supporting children's learning through planned play activities.
 Extending and developing children's language and communication.

Through play children have a safe and secure environment through which they can:
 Develop learning experiences.
 Practice ideas, concepts and skills.
 Learn how to control impulses and understand the need for rules.
 Work with others or alone.
 Take risks/make mistakes.
 Be creative and imaginative.
 Communicate with others.
 Express emotions.


Why children play

 To have fun/enjoyment.
 To keep themselves occupied and entertained.
 To play along side others.
 Curiosity about the world around them.
 Investigate things.
 Express themselves.
 To make friends.
 To immotate adult activities.
 To interact with adults.


What is play?

'Those who work with children on a daily basis, who are constantly in touch with young children, argue that play is central to a child's learning' Bruce and Meggit (2000)

'Play is often seen as the opposite as the opposite to work - an activity done for it's own sake without external constraint.' Peter Smith in Moyles (1994)

'Play co-ordinates a network of learning strategies, linking them so that learning makes sense to a child.' Bruce (1996)

'Play is undoubtedly a means by which humans and animals explore a variety of experiences in different situations for diverse purposes.' Moyles (1989)

'Pla
y is a child's means of learning.' Fisher Price Toys


Play is an important contributor to the all round development of the child.
Children pass through similar sequences of development. Mary Sheridan suggests that children move through these stages rapidly.

Stages of play for 0-8years

1st Year:- Babies begin to find out through
their senses, movement and
relationships. They play with
their own hands.

18 months:- Become more mobile, beginning to
climb, walk more with ease.
Putting objects in and out of
containers. Sometimes enjoying
books.

2-3 years:- Simple role play, make believe
games, play along side other
children. Much more mobile,
able to run, pedal a tricycle,
hold a pencil much more
confidently for drawing and mark
making. Enjoys easy
construction toys and bricks.

3-5 years:- Vocabulary much more extended.
Nursery rhymes, singing, floor
play, bricks, trains, cars,play
make believe games. Physical
capabilities are much greater.

5-8 years:- More skills and expression to
make believe play. Able to
understand the need for rules,
although don't always adhere to
them. Interests begin to
develop.

Overall I believe that learning is an important part of Children's development. Children learn through the experiences they experience during play.

Summary: