Play Fosters Learning
March 2nd, 2010 | Author: Shannon
Indoor play areas can be imbued with natural colors and objects that come from nature or reflect the natural world.
This picture is of our play area and this gateway serves as a doorway into the incredible world of the beaming imaginations of young children.
This area has been:
~ A doctors office.
~ A library.
~ A restaurant/ coffee shop/ bakery.
~ A fire station with rescue workers poised and ready.
~ A construction site.
It changes daily and these young ones are learning so many vital skills as they create and re-create stories. They see themselves as heroes and heroin.
I’ve been reading through early childhood materials that act as a guideline for what teachers are “supposed to do” in their classrooms. This kind of play fosters:
Language development- as the children communicate with one another they are listening, comprehending and speaking.
Literacy- as they learn to tell stories they become interested in writing stories and see their story as book worthy.
Mathematics- the spatial relationships between items and object and the materials teach geometry and patters.
Creative Arts- this is dramatic play where the children see themselves as others and take on roles.
Social and Emotional Development- as the children play together in their world, “un- adulterated” they are learning to cooperate, self- regulate, and have social relationships with peers.
Approaches to Learning- they are interested and curious, engaged and persistent and are finding their own solutions as they use these other skill domains.
Physical Health- these play stands are moved and removed and covered and uncovered a bazillion times, using fine and gross motor skills. As they engage in the play (especially doctors office play) they are also demonstrating understanding of good healthy practices.
(In bold are 7 of the 8 domains of early child development per Head Start).
Play is REALLY fundamental to learning.
How have you fostered a child’s imagination today?
This is part of the 30 minute blog challenge of Steady Mom. Post time start to finish 30 minutes.
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You are so right – imaginative / pretend play is sooo important in the early years and kids are intrinsically motivated to play in this way: we just have to supply the resources and watch them go for it!
One of the things I have been doing with my preschoolers lately has been providing an array of open-ended natural materials for their imaginative play. Fairy gardens / fairy playgrounds and fairy houses have been really popular (I’ve written about this on my blog lately) – the kids are so absorbed and creative with things as simple as pine cones and pepples and dirt!
Well said Shannon, I couldn’t agree more-play is fundamental to learning. Thank you!
.-= Marghanita Hughes´s last blog ..To be creative is possible for every child =-.
Watching children play is so rewarding too cause I get a real sense of what they can do and create on their own!
My kids love building forts. I didn’t realize all the learning involved in this type of play!
.-= Kelly´s last blog ..A lovely morning =-.