Lev Vygotsky’s Theory of play in Early Childhood Education
Early childhood education is one factor that many professional have discussed and researched since time immemorial. Psychologist such as Montessori, Piaget, and Vygotsky has proposed several theories that explore developmental activities in young children. The most important aspect that many psychology professionals considered during their research was an education in young children. The professional, mostly educational psychologists such as Lev Vygotsky considered how children learn at an early age and proposed various theories of early childhood educational development. The main aims were to propose effective theories that explain how children learn. In his proposition, Vygotsky proposed the aspect of play as the main method through which children learn. In fact, He states that children learn best through play and that play has other significant effect of early childhood education. Therefore, this paper is a research study on the theory of play and its effects on early childhood education. Specifically, the paper aims to answer the question that explores why Vygotsky proposed play as an important aspect of early childhood education.
The research is based on the rational that many teachers around the world introduce academic learning at an early age. In so doing, the children miss an important aspect of play. On the same note, play is an important technique in fostering cognitive and social development among children. However, studies have revealed that many schools begin early in the morning and end late in the evening, thus denying the children an opportunity to interact with one another, their environment, and the teachers through play. Similarly, the structure of the school curriculum also leaves children with little or no time to play. In fact, Looking at the timetable of any school around the world indicate that children only have limited time to play in the form of physical education lesson, which is also governed by teachers. Therefore, the study aims to inform educators of the important need of play in early childhood education and development.
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Literature review
A research study by Anne (1993) reports that play time is an important aspect of early childhood education because it has various important influences on the learning development of a child. In this study, the author states that Vygotsky proposed play theory as an important part of education in young children because it leads to the development of vital aspects that promote learning. The author states that imaginative play is an important point in a child’s development because it promotes language development in young children.
On the other hand, a research study by Bodrova (2008) further reveals that Vygotsky, the proposer of play theory in early childhood education affirms that children do have dialogues among themselves as they engage in imaginative play. They learn to communicate effectively with one another and learn to give instructions to others as they learn different things. The study also reveals that children also interact with one another through the formation of role-play, which allows them to come up with the creative task for the characters involved in the play. Role-play also assigns different duties to the characters in the story hence allowing them to imitate others. In so doing, the children also create a vocabulary, which is effective in understanding and learning to name the world and the people around them. The children then transfer this kind of learning which helps in effective academic learning.
Vygotsky also states that less verbal children may talk more when they engage in play with their peers than they would do in a normal class setting hence promoting the need for language development. On the same note, Vygotsky’s theory of cognitive development asserts that a child transforms and utilizes information from external world through language (Oers, 2003). The psychologist states that since language is both a cultural tool used for transmitting culture and a symbolic system of communication and history. Play, therefore, is an important part in the development of language and aids in the child's understanding of the external world. Vygotsky also states that a child is in a constant dialogue with the self or with other when they play. Similarly, He states that listening to children’s conversation at play reveals to a person that the children are communicating through inner speech, a process that helps them acquire information and use it in different ways (Anne, 1993). Therefore, allowing children adequate play time during early childhood educational stages enable the child to form language and speech, which are important factors in future personal and academic developments.
Vygotsky also stated that play is important in social interaction. A research study by Dorothy (1996) states that Vygotsky asserted that social interaction of plays an important role in cognitive development. A research study by Leong and Bodrova (nd) states that development of a young child first occurs socially. On the same note, this study states that play is an important factor that foster social interaction between children since it provides a fertile ground for the children to mingle with one another. The study reports that children listen to the speech from their parents, observe their behaviors, and try to imitate the parents and the people around them. The role of imitation is usually evident during play activities. For example, when someone observes children keenly during play, the person will realize that the children imitate the same thing he or she observed from their parents.
Through imitation, one can deduce that the children are using cognitive abilities to pass information to their students. The research study also states that through interactive play, the children aim to form language as they interact with one another. They also take on different role play activities which provide them with the ability to move from being externally regulated to relying on internal regulation which occurs through cognition activities (Bodrova, Make‐believe play versus academic skills: a Vygotskian approach to today’s dilemma of early childhood education, 2008). Similarly, the study states that children become more competent in their language and begin to form concrete thought process that they use not only in their daily life but also in early childhood educational activities.
On the same note, Vygotsky states that the social environment of the child also forms an important part of social interaction (Dorothy, 1997). This aspect develops fully when the child interacts with their parents, brothers, sisters, teachers, playmates, classmates, and their peers. Similarly, children also form special interactions with toys, books, and other obstacles that also form an important part of social interaction. It is, therefore, important for teachers if early childhood education to involve play in education as it helps in social interactions. Social interaction through play also plays an important role in shaping children’s behavior; the play makes it possible for children to become responsible as well as come up with methods of solving other social problems that might affect them, the people around them. Behavior is an important aspect in the cognitive development of the child and will be important in future stages such as adolescent and their performance in education.
Another important aspect of Play is that it leads to problem solving skills that also influence early childhood educational development. Vygotsky proposed that the performance of a child differs from the time when the child can solve problems on their own and when the child i=receive assistance from their parents, teachers or other adults. Vygotsky refers to these differences as the zone of proximal development. According to Vygotsky and Riebar (1988), the zone of proximal development is the stage when the child can move from lower points of problem solving to higher points of problem solving that occurs within the child’s ability to solve.
On the same note, Leong and Bodrova (nd) states that the zone of proximal development contains concepts and skills that have not yet fully developed. The authors state that these skills and concepts only develop when the child receive support from other people in their lives. The ability to develop effective skills and concepts also enable the children to come up with effective techniques for solving different problems they encounter. For example, this is evident when a child is able to build a bridge using block during play. Similarly, problem-solving skills are evident during role-play when the child used different colors stacks to build a castle. Vygotsky states that the child develops the ability to solve major problems when they receive help from older people. Therefore, it is important that educators include play during early childhood education because it forms an important part of problem solving skills that they will also apply for a major role in the educational development of the children.
Similarly, studies also report that play is important in early childhood education because it leads to self-regulation among the children (Bodrova, Germeroth, & Leong, 2013). Self-regulation is the ability of the child to come up with effective methods of doing different activities at their pace. Studies further reveal that imaginative play is important in early childhood development and learning. The article reports that during play, the children learn to take leadership activities by being imaginative and creative. In so doing, the children also take roles that enable them to control different parts of the play sessions hence become self-regulating. They can come up with different methods of solving the issues that arise during play. On the same note, the children are able to take control of various aspects of the play, another aspect that result is self-regulatory skills. It is important for educators to include play during early childhood educations because the children develop effective relative skills that are also important in educational development. Being self-regulating also makes it possible for the children to form effective understanding of the education systems they go through. They also learn to create meaning and associate it with education hence making it possible for them to become self reliant in forming knowledge when learning (Bodrova, Germeroth, & Leong, 2013).
Other researcher’s state that, play is a vital technique in leading memory development among children. Vygotsky asserted that children are able to observe their parent, siblings, teachers, and classmate as they do various activities. After observation is complete, the children will transfer the knowledge gained through observation to the playground as they play with their peers. The ability to transfer observed knowledge originate from effective cognitive functions that make it possible for children to store information in their memory. On the same note, memory development among children takes place when children observe the different situation and instinctively retain the actions in their mind. Imaginative play also makes it possible for the children to remember different activities they have done earlier that made play interesting. Similarly, when they take part in playing different roles and activities that needs children to use their thinking capacities, they are able to form memory when they remember the things or the activities they performed. On the same social interaction is another important aspect of play that also enables students to form memory, for example, children encounter different aspects of learning in and out of class. The children are able to transfer the knowledge when they play with their peers. For example, when imitating school activities during play such as singing different rhymes that teach them about colors, counting and other activities, the children are able to show that they formed memory during playtime. Therefore, it is important for the teacher to encourage play during early childhood education because it leads to the formation of memory.
The ability to perceive how the world operates is an important aspect of education. Studies reveal that play is important in early childhood education because it encourages perception is the ability to conceive or think of how things and the world operate in general. For example, during play when the children have materials such as blocks for building a bridge, the children will be able to come up with a straight shaped bridge because they will have understood the fact that a bridge joins two regions hence can only be straight. On the same note, the imaginative play makes it possible for the children to form different views about different activities such as the leaders and what the leader should do. Therefore, the children will come up with different methods that the leaders should behave and how the subordinate should respond to the authority. The ability to perceive various situations during play is also important in early childhood development because it helps the young children to learn to perceive learning activities and how they should be performed. On the same note, perception also helps students to come up with desired solutions to academic problems.
Being attentive during the lesson is n important skill that all learners should posses. Vygotsky reported that imaginative play helps children in creating attention techniques as they interact with their peers during play. A research study by Bodrova, Gereroth, Leong (2013) states that play facilitate the formation attention abilities in children, for example, the children have to be keen in taking instruction so that they can perform the duties given to them. On the same note, the play also leads to the formation of attention when children have to listen to role-play and take instruction in accomplishing the provided tasks. Vygotsky states that the ability to form attention originates from effective cognitive development in children, which also comes because of ply. While children are able to concentrate on various aspects of the play to ensure that, the game goes as planned.
The ability to be sensitive in different ways is another important part of early childhood education. Therefore, play is vital in that help the children to develop sensation abilities (Gopnic, 1992). The sensation makes it possible for the children to be sensitive about how they react to different situations knowing that it might affect the people around. While playing, the children are also able to create sensitivity about how the world operates. On the same note, sensation makes it possible for the children to develop the desired behavior that foster effective social developmental activities. It is possible to observe the level of sensitiveness among children when they play, for example, one will realize that some children will refuse to take part in roles that will not benefit others. In this way, the child will demonstrate the need to come up with activities that are inclusive and beneficial to other children. Sensitive children are also able to form effective relationships with their peers hence learning to live with other people in their environment effectively. Therefore, it is important for teachers to include play in early childhood education to foster the development of sensation.
Context of the research
The research was developed in the context that play is an important aspect of early childhood education and development. However, the busy nature of the modern lives that people live in different settings has downplayed or hindered the effectiveness of play. As such, it is vital for educators to come up with educational activities that allow children to play as a method of learning. For example, teachers can come up with the role and imaginative play activities that aim at helping children to form knowledge as they go through the lesson. This research will help educators to improve their learning activities developed for children by coming up with play sessions that enable children for form knowledge at various levels.
Vygotsky developed the theory of play and stated that play is an important factor in early childhood educational development. The proposer of play theory stated that play forms an important learning activity in young children. However, the type of busy lives that people live in modern times has downplayed or hindered the ability to ensure effective play among children. Similarly, Vygotsky states that play is vital in helping the children to form effective problem solving skills that they can use in educational activities. On the same note, Vygotsky asserted that plays are paramount in promoting social interaction among children. On the same note, social interaction leads to the formation of effective behaviors that also enable the children to have positive social interaction. On the same note, Vygotsky states that play is also important because it aids language development and hence makes it possible for the children to learn and understand different aspect in the world in which they live. On the same note, play also promotes the development o memory, perception, and sensation among children. The most important aspect of play is that it also leads to cognitive development, which is important in all areas of educational achievement of young children.
References
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Bodrova, E. (2008). Make‐believe play versus academic skills: a Vygotskian approach to today’s dilemma of early childhood education. European Early Childhood Research Journal. Volume 16. Issue No 3 , 357-369.
Bodrova, E., Germeroth, C., & Leong, D. (2013). Play and Self-Regulation:, LESSONSFROM6YGOTSKY. American Journal of Play, Volume 6. Issue No 1 , 111-124.
Dorothy, F. (1997). Workshop Four: Encouraging Social Collaboration through Play "The Flourishing Child.". International Journal of Early Years Education. Vol 4, Issue No 2 , 81-89.
Gopnic, V. (1992). CHILDREN AND DEVELOPMENT:. Journal of educational psychology. Vol. 5. Issue No 4 , 1-19.
Leong, D., & Bodrova, E. (nd). Pioneers In Our Field: Lev Vygotsky - Playing to Learn. Early Hildhoos Today .
Oers, B. (2003). Learning resources in the context of play. Promoting effective learning in early childhood. European Early Childhood Educational Research Journal. Vol 11. Issue No 1 , 7-26.
Vygotsky, L., & Riebar, R. (1988). The collected work of LS Vygotsky: Volume 1: Problems of psychology including the volume thinking. New York: Springer Shop.
