Play: Understanding The Value Of Play - P-12 : NYSED

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Guidance fromNew York State Head Start Collaboration OfceNew York State Association for the Educationof Young ChildrenNew York State Education Department

Playful, Joyful LearningAs states across the country develop research-based guidelinesand standards for development and learning, educators andparents feel increasing responsibility to ensure children areprepared to meet high academic expectations. As a result, timefor play and playful learning is often cut from the daily classroomschedule in favor of more educator-directed and narrowly scriptedinstructional approaches.The purpose of this brief is to help educators, administrators, andpractitioners:1) understand the value of play in children’s healthydevelopment and learning; and2) develop the use of play as one of many appropriate teachingtools to help children work toward learning goals and meetdevelopmental expectations.Why Play?n Children from birth through age 8 learn best when they are engaged inactive play-based learning within social and experiential contexts.n Play is a vehicle for learning and social development.n Play allows children to make connections between the physical world andabstract concepts. Playful learning experiences function as a modalityfor children to learn, practice, and master skills.n Play is a zone of proximal development where adults can support thesocial development and learning of individual children.n Playful learning can be a powerful instructional tool for educators tofoster 21st century skills and to guide students toward individualizeddevelopment and learning goals.

The Importance of Play and theConnection to Later School SuccessPlay is an important component of early childhood that supports children’shealthy growth and development, particularly during the sensitive learningperiod between birth and age eight. Often described as children’s work, it isthe primary vehicle for discovery, creativity, joy, and practice. Children have aninclination to play, and the role of play in providing a foundation for cognitiveskill development, building children’s sense of belonging, and working throughcomplex social and emotional scenarios has been studied extensively (e.g.,Miller, 2009, Gray, 2011, Gilliam, 2006, & Singer, 2012). During play, children’sbrains are actively seeking and using skills such as negotiating, improvising,communicating, critical thinking, problem-solving, taking risks, sharing ideas,perspective-taking, creating, and learning from mistakes. The value of play forthese reasons has sparked a renewed emphasis on its importance in all earlychildhood settings, including the early elementary grades.As schools grapple with instructional shifts to support 21st century skills, theAmerican Academy of Pediatrics recently released a clinical report supportingplay as a vehicle to attain such skills, stating that, “Play is fundamentallyimportant for learning 21st century skills, such as problem solving,collaboration, and creativity, which require the executive functioning skills thatare critical for adult success”. The challenge for many programs and schools isto either move away from or augment didactic, educator-directed instructionalapproaches by adopting schedules and instructional modalities that bettersupport those skills (Miller and Almon, 2009).Though the importance of play is understood by many parents and educators,the nature of and opportunities for play have shifted signifcantly over thelast two decades. The convergence of technology-based toys and games,highly scheduled and fast-paced family lifestyles, narrowly focused curriculum,increased adult-structured activities, perceived risk of play environments,and limited access to play spaces have contributed to reducing children’sopportunities for the types of play that foster 21st century skills and supporttheir acquisition of healthy social and emotional skills (Singer, 2012). This lackof play seems to be having lasting negative consequences, including risingrates of anxiety, depression, and problems of attention and self-control (Gray,2011, Miller and Almon, 2009). For these reasons, it is more important thanever for parents and educators to rethink how play can serve as a powerfulteaching tool across the birth-through- age-eight learning continuum. Play isessential for healthy development and academic success.Although outdoor play is commonly viewed as a respite from indoor instruction, research continuesto reveal that intentional, well-designed outdoor play can greatly contribute to children’s learning anddevelopment, including language development. Cognitively, children are exposed to new conceptsand vocabulary outside. Socially and emotionally, children are more likely to use their imaginations andbuild self-confdence as they actively play and interact with nature. Not only can they get exercise,they can move freely while learning and interacting with the environment.22

Stages of PlayAs children grow, they follow ageneral sequence of developmental,social play. While all stages of playinvolve exploring, problem-solvingand having fun, children develop socialand cognitive skills with increasinglevels of sophistication as theymove through the stages. Typicallydeveloping children assess the riskand their comfort level with a task andmake the efort to try the next levelof skill, whether it’s guessing at a newword or reaching for the next rungof a climbing apparatus. Play helpschildren learn how to take calculatedrisks; to fgure out what they can dosafely to get them to the next step.Knowing the social stages ofplay between birth to age eight andbeyond can help adults understandhow very young children interactwith and explore the world, while alsoproviding clues about how to bettersupport a child’s social development,particularly as more attention is paidto social and emotional learning.The list below defnes each stageand highlights how play changes aschildren grow and develop.Approximate Stage of Play Examples of Play in ActionAge3Birth - 3 monthsUnoccupied PlayMoves and discovers body parts and explores how to control movement;discovers and responds to how others react to the movements and soundsthey make.Birth – 2 yearsSolitary PlayPlays alone and does not typically interact with other children. Enjoysplaying by themselves with things such as stacking cups, push-and-pulltoys, or simple puzzles. During this stage, they are building skills forworking independently and may talk about what they are doing. Childrenoften return to solitary play throughout childhood, which is important tohealthy development.Birth Onlooker PlayNotices what other children are playing; starts by watching others but thenmay mimic the play during or after watching another child. May engage byasking questions but makes no efort to join in play.2 ½ years - 3 ½yearsParallel PlayStarts to play next to another child but may not talk to or interactin meaningful ways. Play might include role-playing, dress-up, andpretending.3 years – 4 ½yearsAssociative PlayInteracts with other children through conversation or sharing materialsbut may follow own storyline. May converse with another child about whatthey are doing (e.g., “I’m driving my car up the ramp”) but may not engagesocially or cooperatively in play with other child.4 - 8 years Social andCooperative PlayPlays with other children in meaningful ways. Engages in play scenarioswhere everyone is following the same storyline. May assign playroles, come up with story ideas, take turns, and negotiate. Engages incooperative and competitive games with rules.

Types of PlayPlay can be classifed by thetypes of activities in which childrenengage. Types of play usually crossover multiple stages of play, and alltypes support children’s social andemotional development and learningacross domains with varying degreesof emphasis.diferent skill areas that can besupported through each specifc typeof play.The chart below describes thediferent types of play and highlightsType of PlayExamplesDevelopment and LearningHighlightsFunctional or sensorimotorVery young infants play with simpleobjects by grasping, banging, dropping,mouthing and exploring. Older infants,toddlers, and young children start tounderstand the purpose of toys or objectsand use them to operate according tofunction (e.g., rolling a ball, putting a dollto bed). Children begin to learn cause andefect (e.g., when the child bangs a blockit makes a loud sound). Fine and large motor skillsThis type of play is most prevalent inchildren from ages 2 through 7 and olderand includes playing out scenarios withsocial roles, using fgurines as characters,and using symbolism to representitems. This type of play can be doneindependently or as a group. Approaches to learningSociodramatic, imaginativeor pretend Coordination Exploration, discovery, and curiosity Problem-solving and persistence Communicating Representing Presenting ideas Collaboration, cooperation, andnegotiation Divergent-thinking and creativity Self-regulation Confict resolutionConstructivePlaying and building with objects toconstruct something, sometimes witha goal in mind. This can be done eitherindependently or with a group. This typeof play is prevalent in children from ages 2through 8 . Fine motor skills Independent thinking Problem solving Engineering and mathematicalthinking Language, communication, andpresenting ideasGames with RulesThis type of play is prevalent in childrenlate 4 through 8 and includes formalgames with set rules (e.g., board games,organized sports) and made-up gameswith rules. Initially, it is common forchildren to focus almost exclusively on therules -- creating them, negotiating them,and focusing on who is not followingthem -- before they start to enjoy playingthe games. Exploring the power thatrule-making provides is intriguing andimportant to young children. Confict resolution Self-regulation and impulse control Negotiation Language and communication4

Using Play to Strengthen Interactions with ChildrenFrom Birth through Three Years OldPlayandinteractionswithcaring adults and the environmentare primary methods of learningfor infants, toddlers, and threeyear-old children. Educators supportinfants and toddlers by providingexperiences that are consistentwith developmentally appropriatepractices, grounded in relationshipbuilding and focused on rich learningopportunities, which include languagedevelopment and social emotionalexperiences.Relationship-building between thechild and educator is an importantaspect of play. If a child does not feelsafe in their environment or with theireducator, they are less likely to engage,explore, and play. Educators can buildthese meaningful relationships byidentifying and meeting the child’sindividual needs, creating a welcomingenvironment for both families andchildren, and incorporating languageinto everyday activities. This mayinclude singing songs while diaperchanging, getting down to eyelevelwhen communicating with the child,or even acknowledging children byusing their name often and providingspecifc feedback.One-on-one interactions with aneducator provide the advantage ofidentifying the developmental rangeof skills and unique interests of infants,toddlers, and three-year-old children.Play activities and materials shouldbe open-ended, child-directed, andavailable for an extended periodof time. At a young age, this maybe handing a toy back and forthor turning a page in a book. Youngchildren are naturally inquisitive andwill explore independently. Educatorscan enhance children’s naturalcuriosity by setting up an environmentwith materials that can be used indiferent ways, such as bowls, spoons,dough, and realistic dress-up clothes.These materials and learning centersshould be rotated or added to, alwaysconsidering what the children areplaying with and their interests.5Educators can engageinfantsinlanguagedevelopmentandcognitive learning bynaming the items they areplaying with or pointingto. With toddlers andthree-year-old children,adultsshouldmoreconcretelyincorporatetime to TALK (Tell achild what I notice orwonder; Ask a child whatshe notices or wonders;Listen to children’s ideasand questions; and Keepthe conversation going).This back-and-forth talk during playhelps build vocabulary and providescontext for diferent types of words,like action and directional words.Toddlers and three-year-old childrenare quickly learning about the worldaround them, through exploration,and experiencing strong feelings.Educators can help support childrenby helping to identify and validate theirfeelings, strengthening the adult-childrelationship. Educators can also helpnavigate and negotiate transitionsthrough playful interactions that allowtoddlers and three-year-old childrento act out scenarios and expressthemselves.Examples of play in action in birththrough three-year-old settings:n Children in an infant classroomexplore a board book by holding it,looking at the pictures (right sideup and upside down), and tryingto turn the pages. The educatorencourages the child to look at thebook by sitting next to the child,pointing to and naming diferentobjects in the book, following theinfant’s gaze to objects on thepage and talking about them. Theeducator allows the child to playwith the book for as long as it holdsthe child’s interest. The educatormay read parts of the story butmay not complete it before theinfant moves along to anotherplay item. The infant may revisitthe book throughout the day, andnot start at the beginning but on apage that catches their interest.n Children splash and pour waterfrom one container to another ina toddler classroom. The educatorencourages the children to seehow much one container holdscompared to another one andallows the children to splash andtry to pick up the water usingwith various materials, such asmeasuring cups, regular cups, afunnel, or a bowl. To encouragelanguage, the educator asks openended questions such as, “I wonderwhat would happen if.” and “whatdo you think will happen when ”n In a class for three-year-olds,asmall group of children is playingin the dramatic play center, wherethey are taking care of pretendanimals and taking on diferentroles, such as putting them tobed, waking them up, pretendreading to them, having themtalk to each other, and feedingthem. The educators engage in adialogue about how their stufedanimals may be feeling, what theirnames are, and their likes anddislikes. The educator, as per thechild’s suggestions, gradually addspretend animals, empty boxes,pretend food, books, and otherprops to encourage play with theanimals as part of a living thingstheme. The educator and assistantmove around the room to observe,join in play when invited, andto encourage children who needextra support.

Strengthening Playful Learning inPrekindergarten through 3rd Grade (P-3)The goal in early childhoodeducation settings, including schools,should be to build capacity bystrengthening cognitive and socialdevelopment through intentional playexperiences.Intentionalplayexperiencesprovide opportunities for children tolearn and practice important skills.Playful learning includes choice,exploration, and engagement. Whenfolded into instruction and thedaily schedule, children are givenopportunities to:n Engage in hands-on experienceswith materials.n Develop intrinsic skills in allthe domains of learning, whichinclude cognitive, physical-motor,communication and language, andsocial and emotional development.n Think symbolically whileconnecting ideas, feelings, andfacts to build new understanding.n Construct their own knowledgeand deepen previous knowledgethrough direct experiences.n Set goals, develop and share ideas,make rules, negotiate challenges,and choose how long to play.n Explore, create, pretend, imagine,and learn from trial and error.n Talk, debate, and express.Play as an Instructional StrategyEducators and leaders shouldconsiderandobserveplayopportunities to fnd out what typeof play is occurring throughout theday. The goal should be to build inample time for children to engagein several types of play that areopen-ended, encourage exploration,spark imagination, encourage risktaking, and provide opportunities tointeract freely with peers. Providingenough time and an environment thatencourages play that involves makebelieve, symbolism, role-playing, andhaving and sharing ideas can lead togreater learning gains. This requires acareful look, not only at the time in theschedule, but the materials, resourcesand space available for children to getthe most out of play opportunities.Intentional play requires educatorsto plan and guide playful learningactivities that are hands-on andexperiential in nature, linked to aconcept, unit or theme, and focusedon the process of learning; thatsupportmeaningfulinteractionsamong students and educators, andthat lead to specifc development andlearning goals.Educators can build more choice,exploration, and engagement intotheir teaching practice while workingtoward learning goals. Intentionalplay can be part of the instructionalcycle when it is used as a methodof delivering curricular content withcareful attention to the sequence oflearning and intended learning goals.Adults may engage in variousways, such as helping children comeup with a play idea, setting up theenvironment, engaging reluctantchildren, or playing a “role”, butchildren are in charge of how theplay unfolds. Learning and socialdevelopment during this type of playis spontaneous and grounded in theconcepts of choice and freedom.By intentionally planning andguiding playful learning, teachershave an opportunity to set up learningexperiences that build 21st centuryskills, such as:n Collaboration through team-based, project-based activities.n Emphasizing conceptual reasoningskills and background knowledgeacross subject areas.n Emphasizing oral and writtencommunications meant to conveyknowledge and reasoning toothers.n Emphasizing activities that focuson solving unstructured problems.The following snapshots illustratehow intentional play can be usedto aid content learning, supportacademic language production, andbuild 21st century skills:n Aprekindergarten class forfour-year-olds is working on aunit of study on oceans. In theblocks and building area, theeducator has displayed picturesof various sandcastles, collected asampling of texts with pictures ofsandcastles, and created a picturebook with vocabulary words andlabeled pictures of sandcastles,beach toys, and building tools.Students are engaged in planningfor block play by using a clipboard,diferent colored pencils, shapetemplates and rulers. The educatorasks questions about what types ofshapes will be used in their castledesign and what may need to beadded to the block area to improvetheir structures. Students createtheir structure plan for buildingby using the picture book anddisplays as inspiration. As studentsmove from planning to the buildingstage, the educator introducesshells and other ocean items thatmay be added to the decoration oftheir block building. The educatorcontinues to ask questions aboutsize, shape, and creative choicesduringbuilding,encouragingdialogue about the students’ plan,design and implementation.n A kindergarten class has beenlearning about living things andbuilding vocabulary for two weeksthrough book explorations, naturewalks, a classroom collection ofnature materials and a visit to alocal nature rehabilitation center.Children have been constructinghabitats and housing usingcardboard boxes and othermaterials in diferent centersthroughout the classroom. Groupsof children are playing with thehabitats they made with diferentfgurines and other representativeobjects. The educator movesaround the room to observe andsupport play and to focus onchildren who need extra support.The educator uses this time as anopportunity to playfully engagewith children to work on individuallearning goals.n A 1st grade educator sets up anarea in the corner of his classroomspecifcally for a whole

Play is a vehicle for learning and social development. Play allows children to make connections between the physical world and abstract concepts. Playful learning experiences function as a modality for children to learn, practice, and master skills. Play is a

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