(a) The field of Education has notoriously defined play in various ways which has led to the debate if play should be incorporated into the curriculum and lesson plans in the classroom setting. Before discussing what the role of play is in children’s learning, first it is important to understand the definition of play. A more literal definition would be stated here by Gordon (2009), who defined play as a “voluntary movement across boundaries, opening with total absorption into a highly flexible field releasing tension in ways that are pleasurable, exposing players to the unexpected, and making transformation possible” (p.8). In an education setting, play can simply be defined as anything a child does within the social context and sometimes it is defined as just “recess” or “free time.” There are confusing and conflicting definitions but there are two sure forms of play in the context of education: free play and guided or structured play (Singer, 2015, p. 28). According to Free Play and Structured Play (2014), “free play” is when children lead play and guided or structured play is when a game has a defined format, time period, and rules that are determined in advance, for example. Both forms of play have benefits that can drastically help the development of a child, which leads into what the role of play is in children’s learning.
Play provides opportunities for many different vital types of developments and gains in the early years of a child’s life. Ginsburg (2013) stated that “play is essential to development because it contributes to the cognitive, physical, social, and emotional well-being of children and youth.” Therefore, play allows children to learn about the world and society; by helping them develop and meet their social and cognitive needs. Children can create and explore a world through play that they can master, conquering their fears while practicing adult roles. During play, children can create and solve their own problems, which will help them become self-efficient problem solvers. The role of play in children’s learning contributes to developing the whole child. “Through play creativity, physical, and cognitive abilities are refines and strengthened” (Ginsburg, 2013).
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(b) There is ample research evidence that shows conclusively that play makes significant contributions to the physical, emotional, social and cognitive development of children. Faas, Wu and Geiger (2017) are among the researchers who have provided research evidence that underscores the critical function that play serves. In their text, they focus on Hong Kong and Germany, two nations that have invested huge amounts in early childhood development. One of the issues that they highlight is that in Germany, Kindergarten is dedicated to free play. This is clear indication that the authorities in Germany recognize that for children to experience growth in all their spheres of development, they should be allowed to engage in both free and structured play. Ginsburg (2007) is yet another scholar who has examined the interactions between play and child development. According to this scholar, play enhances the social bonds between a child and the parent. These bonds facilitate the development of the social and cognitive faculties of the child.
The scholars cited above are not isolated in their contention that play allows children to develop in a healthy fashion. They are joined by Whitehead et al. (2017) who authored a white paper in which they make a case for play. According to these scholars, over the last few years, the US has witnessed a decline in the amount of time that children spend in free play. This decline has triggered a worrying increase in the prevalence and severity of mental health problems in children. Additionally, they report that children who participate in play record higher scores and tend to interact with the natural environment better. Another insight that they share is that animal studies have shown that when animals are deprived of opportunities to play, they exhibit social incompetence. What is clear from the white paper by Whitehead and his colleagues is that research studies have proven that play introduces children to situations which require them to collaborate and solve problems with their peers. This way, play enhances all their core faculties. Tahmores (2011) is yet another scholar who conducted a study with the goal of establishing the impact of play on child development. He observed that children who were encouraged to play exhibited higher levels of intelligence and better developed social skills. This observation is confirmed by Goldstein (2012). According to this scholar, among other things, play promotes empathy as it enables children to consider the world through the eyes of their peers, and that play promotes intimate relationships among children. Furthermore, Goldstein presents evidence which shows that play bolsters the immune system of children while helping to tackle such adverse health outcomes as depression, fatigue and injury. It is evident that play facilitates the development of the social, physical, emotional and cognitive faculties of children.
(c) From the discussion above, it is clear that if children are to experience normal and healthy development, they must be provided with opportunities for play. Incorporating play into the curriculum is among the ways through which play can be integrated into early childhood settings. Schools are the ideal avenue for play because they bring together children from diverse backgrounds. Teachers can leverage this diversity by dedicating time to play. According to Martlew, Stephen and Ellis (2011), a pedagogical approach that recognizes the importance of play stimulates children and encourages them to participate actively in the classroom. These researchers also noted many teachers understand that play creates an atmosphere of collaboration and meaningful engagement among children.
As noted above, schools are ideal settings for introducing children to play. However, as Lynch (2015) notes, teachers face immense pressure to prioritize academic learning at the expense of play. Consequently, many teachers fail to fully incorporate play into the learning process. As part of efforts to integrate play into the classroom, it is essential for teachers to strive for balance. They should ensure that in as much as they learn such subjects as math and science, children are also permitted to engage in sufficient amounts of play. Lynch also recommends that teachers should be sensitized on the importance of play and that they should leverage such technologies as social media in encouraging children to play.
One of the factors that hamper child play is the control that teachers tend to exert. Research indicates that while structured approaches through which teachers control the activities of children are vital, it is also important for teachers to permit their students to engage in free play. For instance, Fuligni et al. (2012) conducted a study in which they compared the experiences of children who participate in highly structured classroom sessions against those who are allowed to play without undue teacher involvement. They observed that the children in the latter group were able to pursue their fantasies and develop their gross motor skills. The implication of this finding for teaching is that classrooms should be less rigid and structured. Instead, they should be centered on meeting the play needs of children. For instance, teachers could create sessions during which children engage in unhindered play. Jay and Knaus (2018) present teachers with critical insights that they can adopt as they attempt to make the classroom an ideal environment for play. They urge teachers to “embed” play into learning. The meaning of this is that teachers should make play a key aspect of the learning process. In essence, play should form such an integral part of learning that the lines between the two become blurred.
To gain an even deeper understanding of how play can be incorporated into early childhood settings, it is helpful to consult theory. The social ecological model is among the theories that shed light on the importance of play. Essentially, this theory captures the relationship between behaviors and the environment. According to the theory, one’s environment influences their behavior. Lynch (2015) is among the scholars who have adopted this theory in their effort to understand how the classroom environment can be formatted to bolster play among children. Using this theory, it is possible for teachers to ensure that the classroom environment is such that it enables children to engage in play. For example, they could provide the tools that the children need and ensure that play is part of the curriculum.
(d) In the discussion above, some of the practices and strategies that teachers can adopt as they incorporate play into early childhood settings have been identified. It is important to note that the impact of these practices go beyond merely bolstering play among children. They can also be leveraged to promote the learning of such subjects of math literacy. Chopra and Khana (2018) are part of the research community that has established that it is indeed possible to use play to promote literacy. In the previous section, it was noted that teachers can incorporate play into their curricula. As they do this, they make it possible for children to interact with their peers through play while acquiring math literacy. Furthermore, this strategy makes it possible for the children to learn in a stimulating environment that challenge them to play a more active role in the learning process. As a result, they obtain the skills and knowledge that they need to become competent in math. It is worth noting that play can be used to teach such other subjects as science. For play to be effective, teachers must recognize that they are a critical component of the child development process.
References
Chopra, N., & Khanna, I. (2018). Play as mechanism for promoting emergent literacy among young children: the Indian context. DOI: 10.5772/intechopen.82363
Faas, S., Wu, S., & Geiger, S. (2017). The importance of play in early childhood education: a critical perspective on current policies and practices in Germany and Hong Kong. Global Education Review, 4 (2), 75-91.
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Singer, E. (2015). Play and playfulness in early childhood education and care. Psychology in Russia.State of the Art, 8 (2), 27-35. doi:10.11621/pir.2015.0203
Tahmores, A. H. (2011). Role of play in social skills and intelligence of children. Procedia-Social and Behavioral Sciences, 30, 2272-9.
Theobald, M., Danby, S., Jóhanna Einarsdóttir, Bourne, J., Jones, D., Ross, S., . . . Claire Carter-Jones. (2015). Children’s perspectives of play and learning for educational practice. Education Sciences, Vol 5, Iss 4, Pp 345-362 (2015), (4), 345. doi:10.3390/educsci5040345
Whitehead, D., Neale, D., Jensen, H., Liu, C., Solis, L., Hopkins, E., Hirsch-Pasek, K., & Zosh, J. (2017). The role of play in children’s development: a review of the evidence. Lego Foundation. Retrieved March 22, 2019 from https://www.legofoundation.com/media/1065/play-types-_-development-review_web.pdf
