Play In Early Childhood Ed
Play is one of the most powerful vehicles children have for trying out and mastering new skills, concepts, and experiences. In play, children expand their understanding of themselves and others, their knowledge of the physical world, and their ability to communicate with peers and adults. Through discussion and analysis, this essay defends Johnson, Christie and Yawkey (1999, p.xi) statement that "Play can
serve developmental, socialization, enculturation
and educational purposes."
Play has many functions. It increases peer relationships, releases tensions, advances intellectual development, increases exploration, and increases chances of children speaking and interacting with each other (Santrock, 1989). Children's play has been recognized as the major agent in young children's development, socialization, enculturation and educational purposes.
Play contributes to children's development by providing the opportunity for children to practice the major developmental areas of cognitive, social-emotional, and physical skills (Griffith, 2003). It offers numerous opportunities for children to act on objects and experience events.
In what Piaget (1962) aptly described as sensorimotor practice play, infants and toddlers experiment with bodily sensation and motor movements, and with objects and people (Johnson, Christie and Yawkey, 1999). Infants have developed simple but consistent action schemes through trial and error and much practice. They use action schemes such as pushing and grasping, to make interesting things happen. An infant will push a ball and make it roll in order to experience the sensation and pleasure of movement. Appendix 1 describes an infant demonstrating the four major areas of development. The infant was able to push and grasp the ball when it was rolled to her, showing physical development. Social-emotional development was shown when she giggled each time she held the ball and her cognitive development - referring to how...
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