Play

Play is an essential part of a child's life, it needs to be fun and exciting. Children need to be actively involved in their learning in order for them to make sense of the world around them. (Department for Children, Education, Lifelong Learning and Skills, 2008). In Early Years settings many different types of play occur. If the environment is structured appropriately children will learn through investigating and exploring.

The Rumbold Report's beliefs on play still remain in place today . They suggested that when play is well planned and pleasurable it helps children to think, to increase their understanding and to improve their language competence. (Department for Children, Education, Lifelong Learning and Skills, 2008).

The Welsh Government focus on the purpose of play in the Foundation Phase and they underline many benefits of play. Play is said to enhance language and communication skills, develop concentration and also develop positive attitudes. Play can also encourage friendships and help children learn to respect one another as they will work together in order to solve a problem.

Work from theorists such as Lev Vygotsky are still highly regarded today and he believed that learning does not happen when a child is alone, learning happens in a group of children, listening, working together, sharing, discussing experiences and ideas through social interaction. Jerome Bruner another theorist who links in with play supported this and believed that other children and adults supported the learning. (Department for Children, Education, Lifelong Learning and Skills, 2008). 

Parten suggested that there are five stages of play which a child would go through. Between 0-2 years the child will go through the solitary stage, between 2 and 2 years 6 months a child is said to be a spectator, 2 and a half to 3 years is called the parallel stage of play, 3-4 years is the associative stage and the final stage is 4 years onwards and is called the co-operative stage.

Reference List

Department for Children, Education, Lifelong Learning and Skills (2008) Play/Active Learning Overview for 3 to 7 year olds. Cardiff: Welsh Assembly Government

Department for Children, Education, Lifelong Learning and Skills (2008) Learning and Teaching Pedagogy. Cardiff: Welsh Assembly Government