How does Play fit into an already packed curriculum?
02 Jun 2011 Leave a Comment
Recently I participated at the CEN Intensive by running a strand for teachers of the Early Years called, Developing curiosity, imagination and wonder in little kids.
Some questions that I asked the teachers to think about were…
• What have you noticed about how children play?
• When, where and how often do children play?
• How important is play in the lives of our children?
• What informs us as we prepare play experiences for young children?
• What skills are our children coming to school with? Without?
These are questions that teachers and parents are asking more and more as we notice that children are spending hours in front of a screen, be it a TV, PC, DVD, DS, internet games, Wii, Playstation, X-box, etc. It is widely documented that screen time acts as a switch off to our brains. That means that any activity immediately following screen time may not be fully accessed or remembered. (The implication for not watching TV before coming to school is clear.) Early Childhood experts recommend that children spend no more than one hour in front of a screen per day! While it may be argued that many of the ‘games’ that children are involved with can be termed ‘educational’, what are our children missing out on while they have ‘screen time?’ Can ‘playing’ or climbing a tree be ‘educational’ for our children?
What happens when we climb a tree? We are required to problem solve and think carefully as we make judgments between distances and whether the branches will sustain our weight. In this way we start using cognitive function and eye hand coordination. We need large motor muscles which test and strengthen our physical skills. Our senses are stimulated by the smell and taste of the leaves in the air, visually with the patterns of leaves around you, or the within the bark, or as you adjust your eyes to the view below you. Tactile awareness is heightened as you feel the different rough textures of the bark or the tickle of leaves rubbing gently past your cheek and hearing the rustle as they do so. If we are climbing with a friend we have language and social aspects that come into the experience.
Play sharpens our minds, helps us grow, keeps us healthy and boosts our creativity. Play is essential for learning and human development and is one of the most fundamental processes by which children learn. Research, over many years, has demonstrated that play promotes cognitive development, problem solving, language development, creativity, reasoning, group cooperation, social skills and motor development.
Incorporating play into our curriculum in the early years does not replace explicit teaching. It uses it as a basis to create deliberate teaching opportunities. We ‘investigate’ concepts to find out what we know and what we don’t know, and on which we can build purposeful learning experiences. We teach and use thinking routines that sets the stage for deeper inquiry, such as;
• Think, what do you think you know about this topic? (Draw out prior knowledge) Puzzle, what questions or puzzles do you have? Explore, how can you explore?
• I See, I Think, I Wonder.
• What makes you say that? What’s going on here? What do you see that makes you say that?
One of the greatest benefits of playing is to assist with the development of social competence. Children can build relationships, learn to resolve conflicts, negotiate and regulate their behaviours. In play, children usually have increased feelings of success and optimism as they act as their own agents and make their own choices. Playing is a known stress release; it is often linked to child wellbeing. Play is fun! Play and learning experiences should be beautifully presented and inviting, open ended and should avoid cloned artwork. Value of the learning experience is in the process, rather than the product. Children are given time and choice, which leads to engagement and empowers and gives ownership over children’s learning. It also promotes active learners.
Play and learning go hand in hand. By using play embedded in the curriculum we encourage our young children to connect and to develop their sense of wonder and curiosity in the world around them. We know that little children do this instinctively if given the opportunities. Unfortunately in this postmodern world children are presented with reality without necessarily knowing or understanding what it’s all for and why we are all here. This way of thinking leads to a world revolving around ‘self’. Teaching Christianly offers our little ones an alternative. They get to explore the world in the light and knowledge of who created it, of who created us all, and who knew us before we were born. (Ps 139) We learn why it is so important to put others first. (Matt 22 37:39)
Play and discovery learning based on a Biblical perspective promotes the types of thinking that allows for optimistic problem solvers and analytical thinkers; and not to just accept the way the world presents its understandings.
These topics were discussed, queried and questioned at length between teacher representatives from the many participating Christian schools at the recent CEN intensive conference. While ‘Child Centred Education’ is promoted in many educational circles we have the freedom to discuss what it means to deliver ‘Child Appropriate Learning in Christ Centred Education’.
Real play experiences were set up for teachers to ‘experience and investigate’ from a child’s perspective. (Absolute fun, teachers of the early years are not afraid to get involved!) A sharing of ideas concluded the sessions, providing networking opportunities between teachers.
So what about screen time? I think balance is the key. We live in a wonderful age. The internet and educational screen games are a wonderful way to explore God’s world. I think that as teachers and parents it’s important to ensure that children are offered a variety of learning experiences that give a holistic approach to child development. Now, let’s go climb a tree….
Thanks to Donna and Sherry at Irresistible Ideas for Play Based Learning for the constant postings of such wonderful and totally irresistible play ideas!
