Children Development and Learning - Term Paper Example

The value of play in promoting children’s all round learning and development Abstract Children development and learning is a process that takes place from the time a child comes into this world up until that child reaches adulthood. There are many contributing factors to the development and learning process and play is one of them. Play forms an essential part in children and helps to enforce survival instincts that allow children to acquire skills that are important in the future. Playing is not always about fun but there is a deeper meaning attached to it. Through play a child is able to practice and perfect skills that will become necessary in adulthood survival and hence it becomes a great learning instrument. Playing involves a great deal of things. It could be playing with fellow children, playing with toys, a child playing by themselves and or playing with adults like a parent or teacher. Playing is done a lot when a person is young and the games played go with stages i.e. as the child grows older the type of play changes with each stage that the child is growing, these stages of playing expose a child to new possibilities and experiences. This paper will talk about child play and the value that it has on learning and development. Introduction Since Child play is a universal subject, many scholars have addressed the issue of play and have developed theories on the subject. Pioneers in childhood and also modern day scholars have also widely discussed the subject and reiterated on its importance in learning and development. Governments have also made sure that play has been incorporated in the school curriculum. It will also be important to look at how the international perspective on child play has influenced various legislations to be incorporated into the education curriculum. It will also be important to look at the very crucial role that adults play (Burton 2002). In recent years people have become busy and operating on tighter schedules. Children have not been spared and more academic expectations are being demanded from them. It is for this case that play has been included in the curriculum to provide children with an outlet. Play is an extra curricular activity that helps learners, especially young children, to release stress and anxiety that comes from a society that is currently demanding too much from them. Apart from this, play helps mostly in the development of a child both mentally and physically and also in many ways that help that child to learn. In development, play helps a child to become physically strong or fit, up until the child is able to crawl, playing ensures that the child develops a strong physique. It also acts as a form of much required exercises, games like running and tags of war are very good for this (Carr and Claxton 2002). Through play a child is able to develop muscles that are required to walk, talk, eat and so forth. They also learn how to coordinate for instance how to coordinate between their eyes and hands. When it comes to learning, children acquire cognitive skills when a playing child is involved in problem solving tasks that require them to make choices. An example of this is singing and rhyming which helps children to develop and master sound and language. Play also helps in developing imagination and creativity and development of their social skills. Children learn about themselves and the world in general and this assists them in gaining some form of confidence (Bergen 1988). Children are able to interact with the world around them, explore it and master it. This way they are able to practise adult roles and conquer their fears as well. Children learn how to share, how to go about resolving conflicts, working in groups, development of negotiating skills and decision making techniques. Children play helps them to express their frustrations and with this their parents get an opportunity to fully understand and help them at the same time. Play also helps a child to learn about the moral aspects of life, to differentiate between what is right and wrong. Vices such as stealing, lying are greatly discouraged (Slade 1995). Their consequences are also known. A good example is when children play police and thief; the police arrest the thieves and lock them up. This teaches the children that stealing does have its repercussions. Many theorists both classical and modern have studied child play and tried to explain why it exists and the role it plays in learning and development. Sigmund Freud in his psychoanalytic theory regarded play as therapeutic, he argued that play does help children to overcome traumatic events by substituting negative feelings with positive ones. He gave an example of a child who punishes a doll and then consoles it. This way a child is able to understand painful situations and find ways of substituting this with more pleasurable ones. Hughes (1999) in his analysis of psychoanalytic theory says that the theory also teaches that children learn of their vulnerability and helplessness. Therefore, play helps to reduce this realisation by for instance them playing with miniature toys. Cognitive theorists on their part viewed play as a major tool that facilitates children’s mental development. Kamii and DeVries (1980) in their analysis of Piaget’s cognitive theory say that people change their ways of thinking and behaving in order to fit well in their environment. This attempt to adapt is important for physiological and mental growth. A good example of this is how a child will play with the same object over and over again trying to do things as they see people around them do for example drinking water from a glass. Socio-cultural theorist believed that play is a tool that helps children to master their behaviour; it helps children to develop the skills that are needed in life. For example, when children play and they say they want to build a boat. Such abstract thinking helps to manipulate and monitor thoughts and ideas that have direct reference to the world. Therefore, such plays can help to develop a child’s social, emotional and language areas. Through socio-dramatic play, children are able to understand a particular role by acting it out (Fein 1981). For instance, if children are playing mommy and teacher this is a symbolic gesture of trying to learn the different roles that these two different people play in their life. Theorists therefore agree that play does indeed contribute to a child’s learning and development. Children are able to transform symbolic representations in the world into reality and hence meet their psychological and physical needs. Play also helps to show the different levels of abilities that each child has and develops them. John Dewey, one of the early childhood pioneers of the 20th century has his contribution in the American education being used even to date. He helped to develop a curriculum that incorporated child play in learning activities. His work helped to transform and eventually influence the entire field of early childhood education. In the classroom, he organised children in a community kind of way where they could cooperate with one another and use everyday materials to play. He advocated for teacher’s flexibility, creativity and responsibility and encouraged them to introduce such things as music, art, field trips and nature studies. This would encourage independent thinking in children. Dewey believed that if children are exposed to such first-hand experiences and given the right materials, then they would develop skills that would enable them to cope with social emotional problems (Peltzman 1998). Abigail Adams Eliot is also another early childhood pioneer. She is greatly credited with establishing the nursery school movement; she believed that children should be guided in order for them to develop their own personalities (child health magazine pp. 97-101). Nursery school education the basis of all education and incorporating play in the nursery school curriculum would help the children to develop both mentally and physically. John Locke believed that an individual is born as a blank slate and that any encounters received from the environment will form that which would help to make that person. He therefore suggested that physical activities should be provided in the education system. He believed that any individual despite their class should not be denied the right to education and that education should instil physical toughness and mental sharpness (James 1968). Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) is a play based program that acknowledges that every child is unique in their own special way and that they develop at different rates and ways. It is a government scheme that introduces a statutory standard to every child the right to play regardless of their background. Their guiding principle is that children need to play not only to have fun and make friends but also to learn and understand the world around them. EYFS’s main aim is to support schools especially nursery schools. Early years life experiences can benefit children by developing their social skills and ability to learn, it is because of this reason that the EYFS strives to make sure that children especially those under eight years have a safe, secure and happy environment where they can play (Caldwell 1977). The EYFS program aims at providing teachers with the professional help that they need for them to provide children will a best start in life. The program also emphasises on the importance of parents working closely with teachers and also encouraging them to get involved in their child’s development especially at home. In many cultures it is believed that besides working children are also expected to play. The United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) article 31 talks of the right that children have to play. It is in this light that many governments and state agencies recognise the importance of children to engage in play and recreational activities (Child Rights Information Network, 1990). The African charter on child’s welfare acknowledges the right for them to play and to be protected from economic exploitation and child labour. Hyder (2005) looks at the European and North American environments and realises that both of them recognise the importance of play and the role it plays in cognitive development. Both of them also place much emphasis on the emotional and social aspects of play. In the world over many governments have realised the important part that play has in learning ant therefore they have taken initiatives to include it in their agenda. A good example is the Government of Alberta where in I998 they introduced a children and youth initiative that ensures children safety and wile playing. In the United States in Maryland and Connecticut the government supported the construction of playgrounds especially in kindergartens. The UK has also emphasised on the importance of creating grounds for play. Brooker (2002) in his study and evaluation of England primary schools found out that they had reduced the amount of time that children have by themselves and instead created more time for spontaneous playing and socialising. Having realised the importance that play has, it is important that it should be incorporated into the system; this would involve forming a curriculum that works. In England a study was conducted by Powell and Ian (2008) and after their findings they recommended to the government that is should continue building more playgrounds, schools to explore the nature of play opportunities and for these provisions to be made in all school. Before deciding what kind of curriculum is best, many factors must be put into consideration. Children’s basic and urgent needs must be put into considerations first (Ryan and Cooper 2008). A relevant curriculum must be chosen. It should not be necessarily complicated but it should focus on the relevance of child development. It is also important to note that too much play time should not be allocated. A strike of balance should be created to ensure that children have enough play time as well as enough study or class time. The role of adults especially the parents and the teachers (the people who frequently relate the most with the children) is to value children play and talk to them about their play activities. It is also important for the adults to create a playful atmosphere by providing the necessary play materials which the children can use. Adults can sometimes play with the children in order to observe them and where the children seem to be stuck and unproductive then the adult can suggest new and more interesting games or approaches that will keep the child even more interested. They should also make sure that the children are having safe play by making sure they check on the safety of the materials that the children are using. In cases where an adult notices that conflict is developing especially among older children they should intervene by trying to negotiate with them or help the children to solve those problems by themselves (Cardwell 1977). This instils in them the sense of harmony and skills of solving problems. The adult should also allow children to have their own unique play styles, rotate play games and toys so as to keep the children interested, observe children so as to notice their likes and dislikes and encourage them to talk about what they feel about playing (Koralek 2004). Conclusion In conclusion, it is important to recognise that child play does indeed play a very vital role in a child’s development and learning. It helps to develop child cognitive skills, motor skills, and enhances their language and social emotional abilities. It also helps them to know what is right and wrong by their societal standards and also helps them to stay physically fit. It is therefore important that play be part and parcel of a child’s life and it should be included in home activities and at school be made part of the curriculum. But most importantly child play should be made fun and enjoyable. References Bergen, D 1988, Play as a medium for learning and development, Heinemann, Portsmouth. Brooker, L 2002, Starting School: Young children learning about cultures, Open University Press, Buckingham. Burton, L 2002, ‘Children's mathematical narratives as learning stories’, European early childhood education research journal, volume 10, issue, 2, pp.5–18. Caldwell, B 1977, ‘Aggression and Hostility in Young Children’, Young children research Journal, volume 2, issue, pp. 4-13, 442. Carr, M & Claxton, GL 2002, ‘Tracking the development of learning dispositions’, Assessment in Education, volume 9, pp. 9–37. Fein, G 1981, Pretend Play in Childhood an Integrative Review, Child development, volume 9, p. 52. Hughes, P 2009, Child play and development, 4th Edn, Sage Publication, California James, A, 1968, The educational writings of John Locke, Cambridge University Press, Cambridge. Kamii, C & DeVries, R 1980, Group games in early education: Implications IF Piagets theory, National Association for the Education, Washington. Koralek, D 2004, Spotlight on young children and Play, National association for the education of young children, Washington. Pelzman, B 1998, Early childhood education: A bibliography of early childhood educators, Greenwood press, Westport. Powell, S & Ian, W 2008, Policies and play: the impact of national policies on children’s opportunities for play, Canterbury university press, England. Ryan, K & Cooper, K 2008, Those who can, teach. 12th edn, Wadsworth Centage Learning, USA. Slade, P 1995, Childs play: Its importance for human development, Kingsley Publishers ltd. United Kingdom. Two Nursery Schools: Nurseries Working on Health, Education, and Family Life." Child Health Magazine, March 1924, pp. 97-101. Read More