Everyday Learning Series
Volume 8 Number 4 2010
About babies
toddlers and
preschoolers
Everyday learning
about play and learning
Lyn Bower
About the author
About Early Childhood Australia
Lyn Bower
Early Childhood Australia Inc., formerly known as the
Australian Early Childhood Association, was established
in 1938. Early Childhood Australia works with
Government, early childhood professionals, parents,
other carers of young children, and various lobby groups
to secure the best range of options and outcomes for
children as they grow and develop.
Lyn has been involved in early childhood for a number of years in a variety
of contexts. She is currently an executive committee member of Early
Childhood Australia Qld Branch and Chair of Queensland Early Childhood
Sustainability Network (QECSN).
Lyn is the author of Everyday learning in the backyard, Everyday learning about
imagination, Everyday learning together in the garden and Everyday learning
about getting along with others.
Lyn believes in the importance of play in the early years, including the early
years of school.
She also believes play opens up endless possibilities if only children are
given time, space and freedom to be involved in creative play. It is through
this play that children learn to problem solve, develop thinking skills and
learn ways to explore the environment, and most importantly have fun
while learning.
Are you planning time to play within your busy lives and schedules?
If not, why not?
Edition Editor
Pam Linke
Series Editor
Roslyn Mertin
Graphic Design
Nathalie Scott
Photographer
Andrew Sikorski
Contact details
Publishing and Marketing Section
Early Childhood Australia Inc.
PO Box 86 Deakin West ACT 2600
Tel: 02 6242 1800 Fax: 02 6242 1818
Email: [email protected]
© Copyright 2010
All rights reserved by Early Childhood Australia Inc.
Material herein must not be reproduced in any form
without the permission of Early Childhood Australia Inc.
ISBN10 1-921162-45-7
ISBN13 978-1-921162-45-9
ISSN 1448-045X
Printed by Paragon Printers, Canberra
Contents
Introduction
3
Why play?
4
Play and brain development
6
All children need play
8
Types of play
9
Other kinds of play
10
Babies
11
Toddlers
14
Preschoolers
17
Providing for play
22
Safe play
26
Education and play
28
Conclusion
31
Resources and References
32
Everyday learning about play and learning
Introduction
Take play away from the child and you take away their very soul/being, their creativity, their ability to learn and their future.
Take play away from the adult and you take away joy, relaxation and the ability to rejuvenate. Without this outlet to release
stress you may even take months or years off their lives.
Everyday learning about play and learning
3
Why play?
Why is play so important and vital to
children’s development? What is the point
of play when there is so much to learn?
Children need to play to develop social,
emotional, cognitive (thinking) and
physical skills. Play helps children to
learn how to communicate with other
children, resolve conflicts and solve
problems. In a playful environment they
are able to test, practice and refine
these abilities or skills, all of which are
essential to build a strong foundation
for all future learning.
Play helps children
to learn how to
communicate with
other children …
4
Everyday Learning Series
Humans are unique as they are the only species that plays and continues to play
throughout its whole life. Stuart Brown, co-author of Play: How it shapes the brain,
opens the imagination, and invigorates the soul and founder of the National Institute
for Play, and other researchers believe that when adults play they live happier,
healthier lives and have a positive outlook on life (Brown & Vaughan, 2009).
Volume 8, Number 4, 2010
Hormones produced while playing
help people feel calm and relaxed.
Playfulness leads to creative solutions,
and allows people to feel good
about themselves and their work.
Play helps reduce the stress in adults’
lives, allowing them the freedom
for creativity.
Play is not limited to just physical play;
engaging in mind games has been
proven to protect against memory loss
and improves lifestyle. Brown suggests
that adults should take time to play
every day, do something that makes
them feel good and doesn’t feel like a
chore. Suggestions include learning a
new skill, playing with children or pets,
playing sport or games, daydreaming
or doing something you enjoyed as a
child, and even better, sharing it with
your children.
Everyday learning about play and learning
5
6
Play and brain
development
About play:
Play is important for healthy brain
development. Neurologists and
psychologists see play as being equally
important to a child’s life as sleep, rest
and food. Brain development can be
slowed when children are not able
to play.
™™ A play activity may include make-believe, where objects and actions take on
new meaning, for example a wooden spoon might become a telephone, or a
table might become a cave or castle. A simple dance becomes part of a major
performance/production for an imaginary audience.
Play gives children an opportunity to
act out experiences—even traumatic
experiences—in their lives as a way of
dealing with, or trying to make sense, of
such experiences. You may find children
role-playing an experience of a visit to
a hospital, the birth of a new baby or
starting school.
™™ Play is about enjoying what you are doing, not trying to achieve an end, so it is
important for parents not to try to help children to make something or achieve
something unless asked.
Everyday Learning Series
™™ Play should be pleasurable and enjoyable.
™™ It should be something the child chooses to do, not something they have to do.
™™ Play involves curiosity and exploration.
™™ Children develop new ideas as they play, create and problem solve.
™™ One of the benefits of play is problem solving. Children need the opportunity
to learn by making mistakes and then working out how to solve the problem.
Volume 8, Number 4, 2010
Playfulness leads to creative solutions, and
allows people to feel good about themselves …
Resist the urge to tell young children how to do
things, for example finishing a puzzle, joining two things
together, or building something from Lego. It is better
to support the child’s attempt and ask leading questions:
‘What do you think might fit into this section?’, ‘If you
look carefully you might see the same shape’, adds to
the child’s skill rather than telling them where to put the
block. It’s not always easy to do this, especially when the
child has made several attempts and it looks as though it
won’t happen. If the child looks as though they’re ready
to give up, you could suggest that they give you a try
and encourage them to make suggestions, which you
could add to or extend if needed. Children will copy
you, so even making an intentional ‘mistake’ can be a
useful or positive learning experience.
Benefits/values of play
Play develops:
™™ imagination and creativity
™™ literacy and numeracy skills
™™ problem-solving skills
™™ social skills including learning to get along with others
™™ physical skills including coordination, balance, flexibility
™™ talking and listening
™™ relationships and emotional security
™™ confidence and reduces fear, anxiety and stress
™™ resilience
™™ empathy and the ability to accept difference
Brain development can be slowed
when children are not able to play.
™™ an understanding of themselves and their place
in the world.
Everyday learning about play and learning
7
All children need play
This book is about the importance of making sure that all children have the time
and place to play and why this matters.
All children should have the opportunity to play. If you have a child who is unwell
or who has special needs, it is just as important to encourage their play.
Special needs children should be included with other children. You may need to
find out what will best help your child to join in. You can also help by talking with
other children to let them know how best to play with your special child.
Adapt the environment and play toys, taking into account what the children need,
and their skills. Children who are in a wheelchair, or need support to sit, can play
in a sandpit if the sand is moved into a curved supportive shape. Tables can be cut
to allow a wheelchair to fit into the side of the table. Furniture can be designed
to be stable for children with physical limitations. Toys for children with visual
impairments could have bells or other sound-makers attached, or placed inside
toys. Children with hearing impairments could have different-shaped toys and toys
or objects with textured materials.
Be guided by the suggestions for play, giving consideration to adapting the
environment or toys to your child’s particular needs.
8
Everyday Learning Series
Volume 8, Number 4, 2010
Types of play
There are many kinds of play.
Social play develops as children grow and learn. It is important to remember that the suggested ages are a guide, not
definitive. Children develop in their own way and time. Social play includes:
™™ Onlooker play—is seen more often in toddlers as
they watch other children at play. Children need time
to move through this stage.
™™ Parallel play—is also usually seen with younger
children. Children play near but not with other
children.
™™ Associative play—is seen more often in the older
age group when children are beginning to understand
how to work or play with other children. Children
learn how to share and to use language when they
want something, rather than just taking things they
want as toddlers often do.
™™ Cooperative play—this type of play is seen with the
older age group. The children are involved in the play
and each has a role or equal part in contributing to the
game. They will often negotiate their role, for example
‘You be the father and I’ll be the baby’.
™™ Play with rules—this type of play develops as
children become more interested in rules and formal
games. They may make up their own rules when
pretend playing or play by the rules of the game. Play
with rules can become competitive.
Everyday learning about play and learning
9
Other kinds of play
™™ Exploratory play—children are curious and want to
know how things work, what things do etc. To support
this type of play let the children play with everyday
objects and natural materials, rather than man-made or
commercial toys.
™™ Quiet play—when children prefer to be involved in
more relaxing or less robust play: reading, listening to
music or doing puzzles. You might want to encourage
this play when children are tired or getting overstressed or excited.
™™ Manipulative play—where children use both their
hands and their minds. This is important for the overall
development and integration of physical skills including
brain function. Examples are simple puzzles, nesting
cups, pegboards and playdough.
™™ Creative play—when children are involved in
creative activity. Experiences include painting, drawing,
building, using clay, or making all sorts of creations
using the materials around them.
10
Everyday Learning Series
Volume 8, Number 4, 2010
™™ Pretend or imaginative play—when children
take on another role. They could be animals, people,
superheroes or other fantasy creatures.
™™ Dramatic play—when children develop a deeper
understanding of their lives and use their knowledge
and understanding as they act or role-play another
person or event. Often children will engage in dramatic
play to help them overcome fear, for example if going
to hospital.
™™ Superhero play—this is a kind of dramatic play where
children take on the role of the latest superhero.
Superhero play is often looked upon in a negative way
(sometimes even banned). Another approach is to look
at the role or purpose of the superhero—usually it
is helping people. If you talk about how superheroes
help people and different ways of doing this, you can
often reduce the level of aggressive play and encourage
children to think about what the play means. Make sure
that other children who don’t want to play these games
have a safe, quieter place to play.
Expert-approved early childhood resources
Australasian Journal
of Early Childhood
Every Child magazine
Research in Practice Series
Everyday Learning Series
Ideas, inspiration and innovation …
Practical, on-the-ground support …
All the latest research and debate …
A vast range of topics and perspectives
on a current theme which varies from
issue to issue. Provides service-based
activities, snapshots and profiles written
by the field, for the field.
Experts provide easy-to-read guides
on a unique approach or topical issue.
Offers new ideas and advice for all
service-based early childhood carers
and educators.
Creative ways to enliven children’s
everyday experiences …
Australian subscription (4 issues)
Institution*: $100
Individual: $50
Australian subscription (4 issues)
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Australasia’s foremost scholarly
journal within the early childhood
field. Research-based articles analysing
theory and practice, encouraging
critical discussion among practitioners,
academics and students.
Australian subscription (4 issues)
Institution*: $200
Individual: $70
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supporting children’s growth and
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Everyday learning about play and learning
Everyday learning about play and learning outlines the importance of learning
through play. Children need to play to develop social, emotional, cognitive
(thinking) and physical skills.
Play helps children to learn how to communicate with other children, resolve conflicts and
solve problems. In a playful environment they are able to test, practice and refine these abilities
or skills, all of which are essential to build a strong foundation for all future learning.
Everyday learning about play and learning will provide help, knowledge and ideas on how to
support children’s play and how to incorporate learning into fun and games.
Chapters cover such topics as:
ƒƒ early years development
ƒƒ types of play
ƒƒ why all children need play
ƒƒ play and brain development
ƒƒ educational play
ƒƒ providing play and learning.
Author Lyn Bower has been involved in early childhood for a number of years in a variety
of contexts. She is currently an executive committee member of Early Childhood Australia
QLD Branch and Chair of Queensland Early Childhood Sustainability Network (QECSN).
Lyn believes in the importance of play in the early years, including the early years of school.
Her extensive knowledge in this area will help you to understand and guide children through
new experiences.
www.earlychildhoodaustralia.org.au
ISBN 1-921162-45-7
ISBN 978-1-921162-45-9
9 781921 162459