Preschool and the Role and Value of Play
explanatory Essay
815 words
In today’s preschool culture, the role and value of play is very important for children; a rich environment filled with playmates, opportunities to learn how to share, take turns, self-regulate, and make life-long friends only scratches the surface of why play is central for children’s development. Parents aren’t seeing what is happening: what they see as random play is actually being utilized to help the child grow socially, emotionally, and physically. Parents believe that children should be spending more time working at an academic level instead of spending their time playing with blocks, puzzles, or being with friends.
Parents don’t realize that their child’s play is indeed their work; it’s just different than what people see happening in a typical classroom setting. Playing helps children grow and develop socially, physically, emotionally, and mentally; it wouldn’t hurt for older children and adults to play once in a while as well. Docia Zavitkovsky, a lifelong advocate of play, says “Discovering and questioning the world…gives children the tools to become creative, knowledgeable, integrated human beings ().” When a child plays with blocks, he isn’t just playing; he is learning how to use his imagination by building a house with an attached garage. The child is learning how different shapes go together and about the color of each shape. The child will even go through the process of destroying what he has created so he can start working again; every child you meet will enjoy that process.
Play is a wonderful asset for our children and can benefit them in many ways: physical, language, self-concept, and social development are four examples of the different areas that massively impact a child’s development. The different play...
... middle of paper ...
...s imagination. I also plan on saving this essay and using it in my preschool classroom in the future; unless the district or supervisor calls for it, all technology in the room will be controlled by me and will be used strictly for teaching purposes. My children will not only know the value of play, but will get to experience it hands on.
Works Cited
Nilson, Barbara Ann. Week by Week: Plans for Documenting Children's Development. 6th ed. . Belmont, CA: Cenage Learning, 2012. 114-115. eBook.
Gelman, Pam. "How important is play in preschool?."greatschools. greatschools. Web. 26 Jan 2014. .
Snow, Kyle. "Research News You Can Use: More Threats to Preschoolers' Play." NAEYC. n. page. Web. 3 Feb. 2014. .
In this essay, the author
- Explains that physical, language, self-concept, and social development are four examples of the different areas that massively impact a child's development.
- Opines that technology is important, but it's not the be all end all of learning.
- Opines that children need to experience play in its purest form to develop naturally and develop the skills needed to become independent learners.
- Explains that they want to apply what they have learned to their internship class. they plan on saving this essay and using it in their preschool classroom in the future.
- Explains nilson, barbara ann, week by week: plans for documenting children's development.
- Explains snow, kyle, "research news you can use: more threats to preschoolers' play."
- Explains that play is important for children in today's preschool culture. it helps children grow and develop socially, physically, emotionally, and mentally.
Related
- explanatory
- analytical
- comparative
- opinionated
- Solitary Play Essayexplanatory essayAround the world children are able to express their creativity daily through the medium of play. Children play everywhere, at home, outside, at parks, at school, and many other places. This activity is enjoyable yet at the same time children learn how to solve problems, cooperate, take turns, and get along with others without even realizing that they are learning. Additionally, they develop motor skills such as climbing, running, grasping, and balancing all while participating in various types of play. Authors, Gordon and Browne state “Through play, children learn about the world: what color purple is, how to make matzo balls, and how to be a friend” (120). Therefore, play is not only fun for the child; it can also become a learning experience.
In this essay, the author
- Describes solitary play as the type of play when a child plays alone, independently of others, even though the child is in the room or group of children.
- Describes cooperative play, where children work together to achieve a common goal. it teaches children how to share, take turns, get along with others, and self-expression.
- Describes dramatic play as imaginative or pretend play, where children imitate actions or verbal expressions of something or someone they are pretending to be.
- Explains that young children engage in many different types of play, depending on their age, maturity, and physical development. play promotes learning for the whole child, providing benefits for all developmental domains.
- Explains that children express their creativity daily through play. mildred parten categorized play from a social behavioral perspective and developed six play categories by observing free play patterns in nursery school settings.
1217 wordsRead More - The Importance Of Play On Child Developmentanalytical essayA major question that is continuously being researched and observed is whether children’s play is beneficial to children’s development. While many scientists have proved that play is, in fact, helpful in the development of children, I want to research how the different types of play affect children’s development, specifically children that are transitioning from late infancy to toddlerhood. The four different types of play that I will focus on observing is exploratory and manipulative play, functional or relational play, social play routines and pretend play. Furthermore, I would observe the children’s agency during their play and the social structures that can prevent children from playing, thus, resulting in lack of development.
In this essay, the author
- States that michele buchanan and tricia giovacco johnson advocate for children with disabilities for the same right to play as other children.
- Analyzes eric e. barton's article teaching generalized pretend play and related behaviors to young children with disabilities.
- Explains that social structures deny human agency because they are outside forces that make an individual make certain decisions.
- Analyzes how play affects children's development, focusing on exploratory, manipulative, functional, relational, social, and pretend play.
- Explains that they will observe 10 children transitioning from late infancy to toddlerhood, of different backgrounds, genders, family sizes, with and without disabilities for a few hours.
1664 wordsRead More - The Importance Of Play And Literacyanalytical essayWhat is play? Although there is no one consensus on the definition of play, it is undeniable that “play is the work of childhood” (Diamant-Cohen, 2012). If play is the work of childhood, then why is play being taken away? The answer lies in the “schoolification of the early years” (Kane, 2016). This means that many preschools are turning away from play and towards academics. Early childhood educators need to turn their focus away from thinking about academics and play as separate. Play should encompass all areas for a child’s well-being; social-emotional and academic alike.
In this essay, the author
- Explains that play is the work of childhood, and that many preschools are turning away from play and towards academics. early childhood educators need to focus on all areas for a child's well-being.
- Explains that children are not just playing, but building social skills. with the decline of play, educators are noticing that there are "ramifications for child well-being".
- Analyzes how the trend started when preschools switched to a more academic approach to match what children would experience during formal schooling. parents valued play, while kindergarten teachers valued self-control, ability to pay attention and sharing.
- Explains that language isn't intentionally taught, but picked up as the child grows up. early educators can help facilitate this language development by introducing and teaching children new words and phrases.
- Explains that play is important for children's well-being, but it can also be a vehicle to learn literacy skills.
- Opines that early educators need to fill their room with literacy experiences for children to interact with. these include interactive read aloud, interactive writing, and meaningful print located around the room.
- Explains that interactive read alouds help children experience patterns in text, success of "reading" the story, and the joy of being part of the group.
- Argues that literacy and play don't have to be separate, and should be saturated with literacy experiences. early educators should make academics accessible to children during this time.
- Cites stantine, joseph l., diamant-cohen, betsy, and einarsdottir, johanna. play and literacy: a collaborative action research project in preschool
- Explains fehr, karla k., and sandra w. russ' assessment of pretend play in preschool-aged children.
- Explains that pretend play and creativity in preschool-age children: associations and brief intervention.
- Explains the impact of children's perception of an activity as play versus not play on emotional well-being.
- Describes kane, nazneen, and crossref. the play-learning binary: u.s. parents’ perceptions on preschool play in a neoliberal age.
- States lifter, karin, et al., "overview of play: its uses and importance in early intervention/early childhood special education."
- Explains rajapaksha's article, "promoting oral language skills in preschool children through sociodramatic play in the classroom."
- Cites roskos, kathleen a., and christie, james f. (gaining ground in understanding the play-literacy relationship).
1208 wordsRead More - The Importance Of Childhood Playanalytical essayWhy Childhood Play is Declining Imagine it is a beautiful day outside, the sun is radiating with warmth and nature all around is calling for play. Now envision a young child sitting inside, with all the curtains closed to block any light, just so the television screen does not have an annoying glare covering the alluring show. This is just one example of many from today’s society of how childhood play is declining. Throughout the past generations, the simple act of unstructured childplay has seen a steady decrease due to numerous factors.
In this essay, the author
- Explains that the decline in childhood play is primarily caused by the increase in technology, parents unnecessarily structuring playtime, and the cramming of schedules with extracurricular activities.
- Explains that children of the 21st century have turned towards electronic devices rather than an open playground or deck of cards. this decline in outdoor play is linked to the increasing usage of technology within these adolescents.
- Explains that parents' fears of risky play, abduction, and structured play dates have influenced the way playgrounds are created, or not created.
- Analyzes how the cramming of children's schedules plays a major role in the decline in childhood play.
- Explains that technology and electronics are alluring children away from outdoor games on the jungle gym or indoor activities such as board games. structuring of playtime allows parents to have control over nearly all aspects, leaving children with limited time and location for free play.
805 wordsRead More - Imaginative Play Essayanalytical essayIn life, no action is absent of a reaction. Every effect is linked to a cause, whether seen or unseen and play is no exception. As adults, play is not a foreign concept to us, we just chose not to engage in it and have diminutive space for it reserved in our day-to-day schedules. However, it is essential in the lives of young children.
In this essay, the author
- Explains that every action is linked to a cause, whether seen or unseen, and that play is essential in the lives of young children.
- Explains that the benefits of play are invisible, yet they are there working. the first ball is play in a child's life and the other balls are potential benefits.
- Explains that scientists have proved the advancement in child learning as a result of play.
- Explains how psychologist sandra russ linked imaginative play to cognitive development, which is the building of thought processing, decision making, problem solving, and critical thinking skills.
- Analyzes how unstructured play in a classroom can lead children to reiterate concepts they have learned from class.
- Opines that play should be an essential part of a child's life. give them random objects and encourage them to incorporate them into their games.
1025 wordsRead More - Play: Observation Interpretationcomparative essayNumerous sources have concluded that it is a necessity for children to have time to play for countless reasons; this includes the development of their mind and bodies. When observing a young child at the age of 4 on November 1st, 2016 I found information that supported why play was essential to children 's development. When conducting this observation I was unable to participate in the children 's classroom activities, but only allowed to watch and listen. During this observation, we were asked to pick one student to observe for this observation. I chose a student whose name was Wyatt, he demonstrated that play is a crucial part of their learning in terms of mood and interactions.
In this essay, the author
- Describes how they observed a young child at the age of 4 on november 1st, 2016 and found information that supported why play was essential to children's development.
- Explains that play is best described through the child development theory and experiences telling us that children benefit most from learning when there is a direct hands-on experience.
- Explains that brown and vaughn discovered eight characteristics of play that are necessary for all aspects of the game.
- Concludes that children need to play in order to develop to their fullest potential because it creates creativity, confidence, and overall well-being.
- Describes how wyatt blossomed after engaging in group play and activities around him with his classmates. their observations support the theory that playing is a crucial part of the emotional and physical development of children.
898 wordsRead More - Why Play Is Play Essayanalytical essayDespite all of play’s weird attributes, it is a wonderfully important activity and experience. The lack of play within early childhood programs is impractical and disappointing. American’s are denying their students what they need, so they can measure their student’s academic intelligence, thinking little to none about their student’s social and emotional intelligence, which are just as important. Play is so much more than just play. Play is necessary. Play is learning, engaging, thinking, understanding, caring, knowing, experiencing, and lots more. Play needs to be restored in America’s early childhood
In this essay, the author
- Explains that play is an important part of any developmentally appropriate early childhood classroom and has unfortunately been reduced and replaced by standardized tests and teacher-based teaching and learning.
- Opines that a child's need to play is of greater importance than the teacher’s needs to assess their students the way they want to.
- Argues that academic learning can be integrated with play, making it more fun and allowing children to learn more, both academically and socially.
- Explains that play teaches children essential, everday life skills that young children are still learning and acquiring.
- Argues that play motivates and inspires children to want to learn. the lack of play within early childhood programs is impractical and disappointing.
1561 wordsRead More - Child's Theory Of Playopinionated essayMany 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
In this essay, the author
- Opines that most theorists uphold the ethos that play is imperative to a child's learning and development.
- Analyzes how locke and rousseau were influenced by thinking of their time and may have adapted their views making their idea of play bias.
- Explains that parten's idea of child lead stages of play would support jntcp 'behaviour that is freely chosen, personally directed', whereas a teacher would believe that adult led play is more beneficial.
- Opines that everyone has individual backgrounds and experience which influence the way they view the importance of play and how to define it.
- Explains that the jnctp is an establishment made up of play worker's. their job reflects how they perceive play and what they believe play should be.
1219 wordsRead More - Active Play In Child Developmentexplanatory essayRegardless of how the curriculum is organized, administrators must assure there is a balance of content areas addressed in the curriculum so that children develop a broad foundation of skills and knowledge that will prepare them for success in kindergarten and beyond (Gadzikowski 2013). Everyone has a role to play and giving children the opportunity to learn is the main reason why the education field has set standards and guides to help plan a high-quality program and effective curriculum. Make decisions based on the learning and developmental needs of children, focus on their cognitive, affective and physical domains, use classroom management techniques and daily schedules to enhance their experience and pay attention to your programs philosophies,
In this essay, the author
- Opines that administrators must ensure there is a balance of content areas addressed in the curriculum so that children develop skills and knowledge that will prepare them for success in kindergarten and beyond.
- Explains that high-quality preschool programs are essential to children's development and set the foundation for a positive educational journey.
- Explains that developmentally appropriate practice influences decision-making to promote optimal learning and development of young children based on theories of child development, individual strengths and needs of each child, and the child's cultural background.
- Explains that classroom management is an essential component of effective early childhood program management because children need a safe and orderly environment in which to learn.
- Explains that the abc child care center's mission is to offer enriching and quality opportunities to our community that will foster the engagement of families to participate in their children ’s education.
- Explains that the national association for the education of young children recommends thoughtfully planned, challenging, engaging, developmentally appropriate, culturally and linguistically responsive, comprehensive, and likely to promote positive outcomes for all young children.
- Explains the national association for the education of young children's recommendation to make ethical, appropriate, valid, and reliable assessment a central part of early childhood programs.
- Explains that evaluation is used for continuous improvement and well-trained individuals conduct evaluations. evaluations need to be conducted by in the field expertise and knowledgeable individuals.
- Opines that when planning programs and curriculums, keeping in mind how children learn is the best mind set. when administrators make decisions based on the learning and developmental needs of children, use classroom management techniques and daily schedules to enhance their experience.
1593 wordsRead More - An Essay On The Importance Of Play On Child Learningexplanatory essayAn 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.
In this essay, the author
- Explains that play is beneficial to children's learning especially when it reaches a certain degree of complexity. when children engage in play activities most of their early years, they learn to delay gratification and prioritize their goals and actions.
- Explains that research by gabriel, doiron, baldacchino, mckenna & o’keef (2012) and dr. leong and bodrova (2016) affirms that play does have a large impact on the development of children across the different domains of development.
- Explains that children are expected to learn certain skills in preschool so that they are prepared for elementary school. through play, children develop skills from physical, language, self-concept to social development.
- Explains that a new york times opinion section review found that early didactic instruction might worsen academic performance. dr. marcon, r.a. studied 343 children who attended an academically oriented preschool class.
- Explains that both articles shared a common understanding that children who were given opportunities to play during their early years developed more skills and were the ones who had significantly satisfying school performance.
- Explains that all types of play, from fantasy to rough-and-tumble, have a crucial role in the development of children.
- Explains that a research-based article by almon, j. and miller, e. (2011) showed some researches from different parts of the world regarding the crisis in early education.
- Analyzes how an essay by gray, p. (2016) showed researches on play deficit. he concluded that play deprivation is not good for children and promotes anxiety, depression, narcissism, loss of creativity and suicide.
- Explains that play is a physical and social space, and helps children develop social abilities. children can build relationships, resolve conflicts, negotiate and regulate their behaviors.
- Explains that children have amplified feelings of success and optimism as they act as their own agents. it is a known stress release and often connected to the childs’ wellbeing.
- Explains dr. dewar's article that playful behavior has positive effects on the brain and the ability of a child to learn. play may function as an important mode for learning.
- States that purposeful play-based early learning sets the stage for future learning, health, and well-being of children.
841 wordsRead More