the emerging need of applying sustained imaginative play to

Replacing academic approach in Early Childhood Education with
imaginative play
SRI LESTARI YUNIARTI
Staff at Partnership and Institutional Division, Directorate of Early Childhood Education Development-Indonesia
Public criticisms of the practice of early childhood education are currently being widely
heard through the mass media. These criticisms are mainly about the misinterpretation of
early childhood educational practices that have led to an overly formal, academic, approach
and distorted children’s learning experience. A further difficulty stems from early start
learning in literacy, which is recognised as bringing about unexpected difficulties in later
years which sometimes include unpredictable emotional and behavioural problems. Early
start learning in literacy is currently prevalent in the practice of early childhood education
when children are assigned homework from their kindergarten, over-scheduled with
extracurricular learning and are taught and tested in reading and mathematics. These seem
to be inevitable for some countries due to the fact that, being literate is the primary
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requirement for children to be accepted in public elementary schools. This is the reason
why literacy is usually addressed in kindergarten. Alternatively, parents prepare their
children by enrolling them in a literacy course outside their learning in kindergarten.
Consequently, children are lack of time to play because play has been placed outside
children’s learning context by early childhood educators. Play is viewed as wasting time. In
reality, however, children’s way to engage with their learning experience is actually through
play. Children develop their knowledge and skills by exploration and imagination in their
play, particularly imaginative play. Relevant studies provide evidence that imaginative play
encourages children’s learning and development. Furthermore, a sustained imaginative play
is suggested to be integrated in the early childhood education to enhance its potential
benefits. Sustained imaginative play plays a critical role in children’s experience with regards
to three areas of learning: social competence, cognitive development and language skills.
Imagination, as suggested by Bodrova and Leong (2009), is a process of mental activity to
create new ways of thinking about anything virtually. Furthermore, imaginative play is
defined as a form of play that employs creative process to express a particular perspective
(Smith and Arthur, 2009) and it is recognised as pretend play or make-believe play. Since
imaginative play applies a creative process of thinking, especially when children act out a
particular perspective, therefore it is argued by relevant studies as potentially leading to a
further learning experience such as language and social skills. This is because in an
imaginative play such as pretend play, there is an action of pretence over reality, which
includes a form of metacommunication. Metacommunication occurs when children convey
different behaviours and verbal signs between their pretend play and in their real life. For
example, when two children act out two different roles: doctor and patient in a pretend
play, they will play out those two roles by expressing themselves with different language
and behaviours, which are undoubtedly different from their language and behaviours in real
life.
To become effective in encouraging appropriate developmental learning, imaginative play
should be formed as a sustained or mature stage of play. Elkonin (2005) states that mature
play is characterised as “using symbolic representations and actions, using language to
create scenario, employing complex themes, multifaceted roles and extended time frame
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(over several days)”. For example, when one day children play out mother and daughter by
actively engaging language skills (listening and speaking) and continue another day when
the mother is back from supermarket and takes her daughter to walk around their home.
This sustained imaginative play can be created in kindergarten by allocating sufficient time
for performing out the play each day. As suggested by Bodrova and Leong (2007), teachers
may start with 20 minutes then gradually increase to 40-60 minutes. Teachers may enrich
children’s playing by giving them insights into extending themes.
Social competence is one of the learning developments that is suggested can be gained
from sustained imaginative play. This competency is important for school readiness as the
later developmental stage of kindergarten attendees. Furthermore, Nicolopoulou (2010)
states that school readiness is associated with the ability to regulate behaviour and emotion
(also known as self-regulation); capacity and willingness for cooperation and social
understanding. In imaginative play like pretend play, children are encouraged to be “peopleoriented” rather than “toys oriented”. This orientation enables children to adjust their
perspective with others. For example children in a pretend play will experience “what we
should do” and “what we should not do” when act out a particular role. These two aspects
are important in self-regulation and significant in their real life matter. By regulating
themselves, in other words, children can adjust with others’ perspective and fully
participate in their world. This is evident in an example of a sustained imaginative play that
children in the particular Centre will begin their play by assigning their roles such as being
shopkeeper, cashier and the customers, then act out with or without explicit rules. Within
their playing in an imaginary shop they regulate themselves both physically and emotionally
in order to adjust to other’s roles and the whole scenario.
Other potential benefit of sustained imaginative play is its function in encouraging children’s
willingness to cooperate with others. Since sustained imaginative play is viewed as social
play, it appears to be an interactive activity that becomes a good means to explore social
skills, especially the capacity to cooperate with others. Hendy and Toon (2001) suggest that
when children engage in imaginative play they will develop their skills of sharing, listening
and cooperating. Children will learn about working as a member of a group, valuing others’
contribution and developing empathy through participating or observing others’ playing
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their respective roles. When play entails sharing experience, moreover, might be claimed
that imaginative play is satisfying. As a practice of children’s learning that aims at enhancing
children’ s capacity to cooperate with others, it seems imaginative play is also building
children’s self-esteem and active learning. This is because children will become more
enthusiastic and confident in a satisfying play and consequently become involved in their
learning.
Children’s capability in processing their learning is critical for their development. The mental
process that is involved in learning and understanding is defined as cognition (Cobuild
Dictionary). According to Vygotsky (1978) children can construct their own understanding.
However, cognitive skills are also influenced by social and cultural background. Culture is
important for cognitive development, both in the form of knowledge and the way to
construct knowledge. For example, children who live in a rural area will know the particular
species of insect. On the other hand, children in a metropolitan city will not only be
unaware of what a given insect is but also of how to know an insect is. Children in a rural
area will know mostly through their own outdoor play, while children in a metropolitan city
probably know by science experiences in their kindergartens. Regarding cognitive
development, Vygotsky states that sustained imaginative play will create a higher level of
‘Zone of Proximal Development’ (ZPD). The Zone of Proximal Development is a term for the
range of tasks that a child can complete. By reaching higher level of ZPD, children not
merely can play more maturely but also demonstrate better cognitive skills. In addition to
that, better cognitive skills are positively correlated with higher levels of self-regulation
(Bodrova and Leong, 2007). Gaining a higher level of ZPD by imaginative play is important
for children’s cognitive development since becoming more mature requires a higher level of
thinking capability and self-regulation. For example, as children enter school they will be
required to use a more complex process of thinking and a better self-regulation. This is
important not merely because this is needed in understanding the learning materials but
also to cope with student life matters. Since cognitive skills are crucial for further
developmental stage therefore creating sustained imaginative play in early childhood
education is strongly suggested.
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Language is an important element in developing children’s cognitive skills. This is because
language is the primary means used of transferring knowledge. Relevant studies provide
evidence that engaging in an imaginative play encourages the development of language
skills, both speaking and listening. It is claimed that imaginative play increases vocabulary,
developing complexity in children’s sentences, improving children’s knowledge through
creative and imaginary play, and developing linguistic skills such as “code switching in turntaking roles” (Smith and Mathur, 2009). Moreover, Dunn and Kendrick (1982) state that
pretend play is also evident in developing children’s understanding of semantic domain
exchange and vocalisations. Furthermore, children are also encouraged to develop their
listening skills during their play — particularly when they try to understand others’
perspectives and turn-taking roles. These specific skills are important in enhancing
children’s capability to communicate with others. In addition, as suggested by Vygotsky
learning experience occurs in a shared situation and language is a means for understanding
others’ perspectives. For example, when children in their imaginative play acting out
superheroes. A child may begin with negotiating role to be a Captain America while others
want to be Hulk and Iron Man. Then they adjust their emotions, behaviour and play out
according their own role primarily using their language.
As a form of play, imaginative play is evident in developing crucial children’s learning
experience. Furthermore, Barblett (2010) suggests that it is important for educators to plan
the environment to help children in achieving the learning outcomes. A comprehensive
learning environment will provide qualified play experiences and in turn will maximise the
potential benefits. Barblett stresses four ways to plan learning environment with a playbased context. Firstly, the setting and arrangement of physical such as space, decorations
and properties are essential. Secondly, the need of feeling secure, and sense of belonging
that lead to children’s self-esteem or self-confidence. Educators are expected to build
responsiveness to children’s needs and atmosphere of friendship. Thirdly, educators need to
creatively adjust with children’s availability to learn so they know, when to facilitate
children’s learning or when to observe. Eventually, educators are required to specifically
allocate sufficient time for creating sustained imaginative play on a regular basis.
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Based on the above discussion, it is clear that sustained imaginative play is critical in
developing children’s learning experience. It is particularly important in developing
children’s further learning experience for school readiness. School readiness is associated
with social competency, cognitive and language skills. Social competency includes children’s
ability to regulate their behaviour and emotions, and capacity to cooperate with others.
Furthermore, sustained imaginative play is also evident in encouraging cognitive and
language skills. By engaging in imaginative play, children develop their understanding of
others, use their language as means of communication and creatively think from their own
perspective and adjust with others in an imaginary scene. In addition, in a sustained
imaginative play children will develop their skills of sharing, listening and cooperating. This
seems critical to be addressed on the current early childhood education discussion since a
heavy focus on early start learning has been on the rise and becomes public’s concern
recently. Therefore it is imperative for educators in early childhood education to apply
sustained imaginative play in order to replace early learning that is counter-productive for
children’s development.
References
Barblett, L 2010, ‘Why play-based learning?’ Every Child, vol. 16, no. 2, pp. 4-5.
Bodrova, E 2008, ‘Make-believe play versus academic skills: a Vygotskian approach to
today’s dilemma of early childhood education,’ European Early Childhood Education
Research Journal, vol. 16, no. 3, pp. 357-369.
Bodrova, E & Leong, DJ 2007, Tools of the mind: the Vygotskian approach to early childhood
education, Pearson Education, New Jersey.
Dunn, J., & Kendrick, S. (1982), Siblings: Love, envy and understanding, MA: Harvard
University Press, Cambridge.
Hendy, L & Toon, L 2001, Supporting drama and imaginative play in the early years, Open
University Press, Buckingham.
Leong, DJ & Bodrova, E 2012, ‘Assessing and scaffolding: make-believe play’, Young Children,
vol. 67, no. 1, pp. 28-34.
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Lillard, AS, Lerner, MD, Hopkins, EJ, Dore, RA, Smith, ED and Palmquist, CM 2013, ‘The
Impact of pretend play on children’s development: a review of the evidence’ Psychological
Bulletin, vol. 139, no. 1, pp. 1-34.
Nicolopoulou, A 2010, ‘The alarming disappearance of play from Early Childhood Education’,
Human Development, vol. 53, pp. 1-4.
Smith, M & Mathur, R 2009, ‘Children’s imagination and fantasy: implication for
development, education, and classroom activities’, Research in the School, vol. 16, no. 1, pp.
52-63.
Vygotsky, L. S. (1978), Mind in society: The development of higher psychological processes,
MA: Harvard University Press, Cambridge.
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