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Fine and gross motor skills development essay
Play influences children's development
Play influences children's development
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In this article, the authors discuss how play influences a child's development in multiple areas.The article begins introducing how play influences the development of a child's social and emotional status; play well with others and learning to cope with feelings,. Then the author transitions into how physical development is also fostered through play. This is done through recess and physical activity where children have the opportunity to be in engaged in play that develops their fine and gross motor skills. Lastly, The author discusses how play also fosters creative development while simultaneously developing physically, socially, and emotionally. This creative development is believed to be developed by the use of a child’s imagination and role playing. The primary thesis discusses the link between child-led play and the normal, healthy development of children.
This article begins by discussing the relationship between play and social/emotional development. A child’s emotional development is vital to developing into a healthy adult that can deal with all the stress and hectic lifestyle that accompanies life in today’s society. According to these authors, when children are exposed to child-led play they “increase their social competence and emotional maturity…. verbal and nonverbal skills… respond to their peers’ feelings… experiment with roles”(SOURCE!!!!). They skills that a child can acquire through the simple act of playing are essential to their healthy development. Children can “increase their social competence and emotional maturity” by learning how to relieve stress and cope with their feeling while playing. For example, a young child may learn that when they are sad, they can play with their toys in such a way that d...
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...velop gross motor skills by learning to crawl, then walk, then run. By doing this, they are developing their large muscles that they gain more control over, this happens purely by playing with their peers or family in any way that pleases them. Finally, the author discusses how “play helps them build or maintain energy, joint flexibility, and muscular strength”. This happens by any type of play that gets a child moving and challenges him or her to do more. This is the type of play and development that can help influence how they are as adults. If a child learns how to participate in active play to maintain a helathy body, he or she will more than likely continue to display these characteristics as adults.
Works Cited
Excerpt from Creative Thinking and Arts-Based Learning Preschool Through Fourth Grade, by J.P. Isenberg, M. R. Jalongo, 2006 edition, p. 53-55.
Early Childhood is marked by a time in children’s lives when they develop “a confident self-image, more effective control over their emotions, new social skills, the foundations of morality, and a clear sense of themselves as boy or girl” (Berk, Kauffman & Landrum, 2011, pg. 45). According to Erik Erikson, early childhood is a period of “vigorous unfolding,” one where children have a sense of autonomy and a new sense of purposefulness or initiative (Berk, Kauffman & Landrum, 2011, pg. 45). Play is a means for children to learn about themselves and they begin to adopt the moral and gender-role standards of the society in which they live (Berk, Kauffman & Landrum, 2011). A negative outcome of early childhood is the guilt children feel as a result of excessive punishment and criticism by the adults in their lives (Berk, Kauffman & Landrum, 2011)....
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
The second section will evaluate the importance of play on different aspects of social development and in various stages of an individual. The third section will analyze how viewpoints on function of play on development are shaped by historical and contextual factors such as culture and economy. Developmental psychologists use various research methods such as naturalistic observations, interviews, experimental research and examining the natural context of children’s everyday interaction within the family to study the role of play in children’s development. They apply different approaches to study different types of play. Play by nature, creates a natural learning environment for the child.
Generally, preschoolers mainly engage in physical activity with other children (“Preschoolers at play”). Teachers encourage this by helping children plan roles, encouraging to talk to peers, and posing open ended questions since physical play is significant to the development of children (Rice 2). According to the Child Development Institute, physical play helps a child develop connections between the nerve cells and the brain (Wonderly 1). As these connections develop, a child’s fine and gross motor skills are improved (Wonderly 1). According to the North Carolina Child Care Health and Safety Resource Center, “All children birth to age five as well as school age children should engage in daily physical activity that promotes health-related fitness and movement skills” (Wonderly 2). This is due to the fact that physical activity is significant to children and their development because the process of physical development starts in human infancy and the peak of physical development happens in childhood (Thomas 1). It is a crucial time from infancy to late adolescence for neurological brain development and body coordination (Thomas 1). This is a time where gross and fine
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.
... play has a strong impact on a child’s emotional development as well (Hjelmstedt & Collins, 2008).
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.
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
Children have a natural inclination to play, alongside a natural instinct to learn and to be curious and inventive, which are characteristics of the human race in general. This quote taken from Janet Moyles is a good starting point for this essay. It is well known that children love to play. If a child were to be left to his/her own devices they would happily play and create new worlds anywhere they were left. It has been well documented and researched that children learn excellently through play. However they are not always given the opportunity to do so, instead being told to, ‘finish your work and then you can go play’. Obviously this is not always the case, but the fact that it is a common practice shows that we do not all fully appreciate the importance of play to children’s learning. This essay will attempt to show how children learn through play, making reference to current theory and practice. I will also give examples from my own first-hand experience of how children learn and develop as people through play.
What is play? Play is defined as engaging in activates for enjoyment & recreation rather than a serious practical purpose. Playing is a disorganized voluntary spontaneous activity, which may include objects, one’s body, symbol usage, and relationships. Play is flexible, individualize, grouped, motivating, self-directed, open-ended, or self-directed. (Smith, 2013) (Saskatchewan Ministry of Education, 2010)
Thinking back on my childhood, I first remember all the times I played outside in my backyard. I would pretend to dig up dinosaur bones or create imaginary realms of ancient lands; there I would perform diplomatic services for the people in need. I was usually alone, and those are some of my fondest memories. When I first decided to become a teacher and thought about what is important to my philosophy on how children learn, I immediately knew I was a strong believer in play. Although, many decision makers such as legislators and school district leaders believe in more academic types of learning styles, my paper will discuss why play is so powerful and important to children.
In Kindergarten school, some parent believes play is the best way for young children to learn the conceptions, skills, and set a solid foundation for later school and life success. In the other hand, many parents disagree and believe play is a waste of time, messy, noisy, and uneducationall. I believe play is not waste of time, but it something worth to fight for, in this presentation I would show parent the main importance of some of the numerous kinds of play, and why play is a fundamental basis for improving children’s ability to succeed in school and life.
Play is a common word used during the early year’s program in the current educational era. Play is been implemented as a subject in the current international school that I am attached too. Children play every day and it is now seen as being crucial to the development of the child (Tassoni and Hucker, 2000:1). Playing is a way of experiencing bodily, emotional sensations through engaging with the immediate real, imagined social and physical environment in any number of ways, when the player has a sense of control (Wolmuth, 2000:2). Thus, play carries a heavy weight in student’s early days. Tassoni and Hucker added by stating that playtime is often said to be child’s work carry out playing (2000:1a). Truly speaking, children get involved in activities when there is anything to do with play. In the current international school that I am attached with, there are many activities being conducted during playtime such as sand play, water play, dough play, etc. The activities conducted are layout differently every single week. The materials used are the same. On the other hand, after every activity, students will need to achieve the objective and learning outcome listed by the teacher during water play.
Holistic development of young children is the key determination and through play they are able to survive and become physically healthy, able to learn, and emotionally secure and into where they progress into responsible and productive adults with positive reinforcements in the future. When there are societal issues that are barriers such as “technology, childhood obesity, culture, etc.” (Gaston, A, Module 1, Unit 1, 2016), children are then unable to revel in freedom of movement in where play is adventurous and brings out positive behavior. “Play supports the holistic development through the development of intellectual, emotions, socially, physical, creative and spiritual” (Gaston, A, Module 1, Unit 2, 2016), signifying that holistic development is an important factor to be aware of as the child grows. An example would be when in Workshop 1 of Social and Cognitive Styles of Play, we had to play in the given activity for the time being and observe our members and distinguish what kind of cognitive play it was. And one of the assigned question to
Child psychologists similarly view play "as a function of the social-emotional, cognitive and creative development of the child." (Neuman 140) In that view, playacting is far more significant than sheer amusement and enjoyments since its intention exceeds enjoyment and exercise of physical movements. In playing, a kid 's brain develops. He discovers how to identify right from wrong, he learns how to behave toward others and he understands what is amusing and what is not. (Reynolds and Jones 61-63) More significant, he acquires self-discipline: in his exchanges, with others, he realizes to put others ahead of himself since he will have to share his playthings. Understanding how to collaborate shall aid him in realizing achievement in his