Outdoor play is a very important factor in every child’s development. “Outdoor environments are both comfortable, supportive and encourage skill building” (Sachs 4). (Hillman 67). “Positive outdoor experiences can foster a happier, healthier, smarter and better adjusted children and can create future stewards of the earth” (Hillman 67). Many children with disabilities are mostly structured to indoor environments and outside play can provide them with great benefits (Christensen 1). An example of this is how children with autism benefit greatly from nature. “Play through nature can help develop the five major areas of proper growth; social/emotional, intellectual, perceptual motor, physical development and sensory”, therefore when designing an outdoor play space for children with disabilities it is essential to have a proper, fun and safe design.
All children including children with disabilities require special care and attention. Five major areas where these children need special attention are physiological needs, safety needs, love and belonging, esteem and self-actualization. Physiological needs are the physical requirements for human survival, safety needs are what should be met to be kept safe, love and belonging is being able to feel love and accepted, esteem is about feeling respected, and self-actualization refers to what a person's full potential is and the realization of that potential. All of these areas are referred to in Maslow’s Hierarchy of Human Needs Pyramid made by Abraham Maslow in 1943 (see addendum one). With all of this being said, it is very important for children with disabilities to be able to meet all of these areas. This can be done be creating an outdoor environment that is designed for thos...
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Works Cited
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Christensen, Keith. “Creating Inclusive Outdoor Play Environments Designing for Ability
Rather than Disability.” adventureislandplayground.org. Christensen, Keith. June 2000.
Web. 14 December 2013. http://www.adventureislandplayground.org/Keith.
Hillman, Carol. "Creating an Intimate Relationship with Nature” Exchange children’s Journal.
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Nemours Foundation. "Playground Safety" KidsHeath.org. Nemours Foundation. June 2013.
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Sachs, Naomi. "Outdoor Environments for Children with Autism and Special Needs."
Implications. 25 April 2011. Print.
Many theorists have tried to define play as a concept, however, no two agree on a set definition. Their backgrounds and induvial lifestyles influence the way they see the importance of play. Reed and Brown also believe that there isn’t an agreed definition of play because is something that is felt rather than done (Reed & Brown, 2000 cited in Brock, Dodd’s, Jarvis & Olusoga, 2009). In spite of this, it is clear that most theorists uphold the ethos that play is imperative to a child’s learning and development. There is a wide range of different studies and theories which helps us develop our own perception of what play is. In my personal experience I have found play to be a way of expressive our emotions, exploring and learning new things, thus
Levin, D and Carlsson-Paige, N (2006). The War Play Dilemma . 2nd ed. New York: Teachers College Press.
Inclusion has become quite a popular aspect of the general education schooling and so children with disabilities, learning, behavioral or physical among some, are now being placed in classrooms with their peers with no such needs. These children are given the chance to interact and experience things they would have never done at home perhaps or in a special education school. The same goes for summer camps these children may attend between June and August. As stated in a Washington Post article, “parents of special education students have long said their children are left in the lurch once school closes for the summer.” Summer camps across the country are beginning to bring together children with and without disabilities for memorable summer experiences. “The percentage of accredited camps that have tailored service for children with physical or mental disabilities has risen from 9 percent to 13 in the past two years”, states Harriet Gamble, director of communications for the American Camping Association.
Living with a child with special needs can have profound effects on the entire family including the extended family members, siblings, parents, and the child with the special needs. It can affect all aspects of family functioning, since they have to be on the watch for the child. On the positive side, living with a child with special needs can expand horizons, develop family cohesion, increase the family members’ awareness of their inner strength, and promote connections to community groups. On the negative side, this child will need time, physical and emotional demands and financial cost in order to make the child’s life comfortable. However, the impacts will depend on the child’s condition, and its severity, as well as the emotional, physical, and the financial resources available to take care of the child.
Childhood can be seen as a social status with multiple meanings and expectations attached to it without a clearly defined end or beginning (Montgomery 2009), This essay will introduce different sociological perspectives on what childhood is since childhood is not universal rather is it mobile and shifting this means children experience various childhoods there are local and global variations(Waller 2009), a Childs experience can be influenced by their gender, ethnicity, culture and social class which this essay will expand on. The essay will then move forward to focusing on childhood in local and global countries to investigate the differences they have among each other lastly the essay will go onto ways an professional can help acknowledge all children diversity and create an inclusive environment regardless of their differences (Penn 2008).inclusion provides support to all children so that their experiences in an educational; setting encourages them to be as involved and independent as possible as well as help them understand the differences among their class mates
My virtual discussion with my fellow classmate Jeannette Marcel has led to numerous conclusions regarding the recreational playgrounds at our neighborhoods. While we do experience shortage of playgrounds, some areas also require additional maintenance with financial issues being obstacles in many instances. However, if the play area is only equipped with regular slides and swings, would children with disabilities be able to use them? The answer is simply no.
An Article by Dr. Leong and Dr. Bodrova (2016) stated that play is beneficial to children’s learning especially when it reaches a certain degree of complexity. When they engage in play activities most of their early years, they learn to delay gratification and to prioritize their goals and actions. They also learn to consider the perspectives and needs of other people and to represent things significantly to regulate their behavior and actions in a cautious, intentional way.
The living room was dark and the only thing you could see was the brightness of the TV. Also, I could still hear many people talking from down stairs, fire truck siren going off, and the city lights that were still shining bright. At the age of seven, on a cold Friday night in Brooklyn; my mom, cousin, and I started watching some scary movies since it was around Halloween. There was this movie called “Child’s Play” and as a child, I didn’t like the movie at all due to the fact that there was an ugly doll that was moving and killing people. During, that weekend it was showing marathons all weekend long since it was the Halloween weekend. The bed was pulled out with all the warm blankets and snacks besides us waiting for the move to start.
Play supports children’s physical development as when they are playing they are being active and exercising their body. It is important that children develop strength and stamina from a young age and through
In this essay I will reflect upon the inclusive learning environment, i intend on reflecting this by researching, reading, extending my own knowledge and a recent exemplar visit. The main issues i have chosen to cover throughout this essay are inclusion, children’s learning and the environment. Issues i will also cover are Special Educational Needs (SEN), Every Child Matters (EMC), Diversity and legislations. I intend on doing this by arguing, analyzing and discussing the inclusive learning environment. Inclusive learning environments can be varied from the school environment to the home environment. Both having a significant impact to a child’s learning. The environment within schools needs to be stimulating, creative and enjoyable for all children to learn in. Effective classroom organization, interaction between both staff and children are essential to the inclusive learning environment.
Childhood play is an important part of every child’s development. This behavior starts in infancy, they begin to explore their world through play. Play behavior serves as an indicator of the child’s cognitive and social development. Research on play and development is essential to helping caregivers understand the importance of childhood play. I will be focusing on the psychological aspects of childhood play behavior and its relation to cognitive development.
One of the most successful and influential early childhood educational strategies that have been used to promote children’s social and cognitive development is scaffolding. Scaffolding generally refers to the process through which adults facilitate children’s learning by enabling them achieve a level of ability beyond the child’s capacity at the time (Scarlett, 2005). This essay will discuss how scaffolding facilitates and supports meaning making in children’s play. First, the essay will briefly introduce the concept of scaffolding and its importance in children’s development. The essay will then explore various early childhood educational theories that support or acknowledge the role played by scaffolding, the view of children as learners capable of constructing meaning and the importance of teacher presence in a play based curriculum. The essay will examine scaffolding through the theoretical lens of the philosophy of Reggio Emilia, the constructivist theories of Lev Vygotsky and Jean Piaget and Howard Gardner’s Theory of Multiple Intelligences. The essay will argue that all examined theories support the role of scaffolding in facilitating and supporting meaning making in children’s play and emphasize the importance of teacher presence in all areas of the curriculum, especially in a play based curriculum.
Lifter, Karin, et al. “Overview of Play: Its Uses and Importance in Early Intervention/Early Childhood Special Education.” Infants & Young Children, vol. 24, no. 3, 2011, pp. 225–45. CrossRef, doi:10.1097/IYC.0b013e31821e995c.
Children with disabilities are more in the public eye than years ago, although they are still treated differently. Our society treats them differently from lack of education on special needs. The society labels them and make their lives more difficult than it has to be becau...
learning. For example, in secondary school, students are required to finish the “Other Learning Experiences” programs. It aims to expand students’ learning contexts instead of simply learning in the classroom. While some school hold more outdoor activities as they agree that outdoor activities is beneficial for students, others reject it and continue to use the traditional classroom teaching. This essay examines both sides of for and against arguments of having more outdoor learning activities.