What Good Is Play Anyway?

Why is play such a big part of most early childhood programs?  It’s the foundation for planning, flexible thinking, strengthening memory skills, problem solving, self-control, persistence, the ability to use symbols, and much more.  It’s clear:  when you watch children play, alone or with others, you’re watching development occur.  When you support and encourage play, you’re helping development occur.

Look around…you might even spot a local expert on play sitting under a kitchen table.  That’s where I found my daughter at the age of three playing with some toy animals and a cake pan.  After numerous minutes of watching the horse, zebra and giraffe all take a drink from the cake pan…I observed the following:

*practiced planning as she decides where each animal will stand. *used flexible thinking as she solves the problem of making the giraffe stand up. *memorized the original order of the animals and recreated it after moving them. *engaged in symbolic thought and representation by pretending the cake pan is a pond and the toys are real animals. *strengthened her self-control and her ability to be persistent by overcoming her annoyance at the giraffe.

Early childhood programs take play seriously for a good reason…play is important!                                                     Karen

Posted by karen on Monday, November 09, 2009 10:48 PM

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