Play based curriculum

Why play?
1. "learning in the early years is also concerned with the moment of childhood, rather than as the preparation of goals to strive for when children get older." (Beckley, 2012a:8)
2. Froebel believed that play is pure and spiritual. This should be valued in a child's early years.
3. Beckley (2012b:23) outlines various theories of play, all of which are valid and valuable with in an early years context (and in this case, I mean ages 3 - 7)
  1. surplus energy theory release of excess energy
  2. relaxation theory: replenishment of energy following formal tasks
  3. recapitulation theory: rid ourselves of the need to express primitive behaviour
  4. Groos' practice theory: allow children to practice for adulthood
4. "Because play is enjoyable, it enhances interest, engagement and motivation. Play therefore provides relevant and meaningful experience and leads to learning" (Bennett et al., 1998: 33)
What can play teach children?
1. physical development - fine and gross motor skills
  1. "Play of this nature helps to increase confidence and autonomy as well as promoting physical health." (Beckley, 2012b:24)
2. cognitive development
  1. "the child as 'knower' (Beckley, 2012b:25); thinking, remembering, understanding
3. allows the child to explore their senses and "construct a meaningful picture of the world" (Beckley, 2012b:25)
4. risk-taking, pushing boundaries
  1. develop independence and self-esteem (Nahmad-Williams, 2012:125)
    1. "learn through trial and error" (Bennett et al, 1998:37)
5. imagination
  1. "helps children to understand their culture and the different roles people have in society ,,, through this play children enjoy becoming, by pretending, the adults they know or would like to be.
  2. what about the role of popular culture?
6. social skills and understanding
  1. "children gradually learn what friendship means through play"
7. epistemic and ludic play (Hutt et al, quoted in Nahmad-Willaims, 2012:127)
8. provides opportunity to "independently [apply] the skills that had been taught through a directed approach by an adult" (Nahmad-Williams, 2012: 128)
10. teachers see play as contributing to "the all-round development of the child - physical, intellectual, emotional and social" (Bennett et al. 1998:35)
The role of the adult
1. Vygotskian view that a child should play supported by an 'expert other', ZPD
2. Adults to "develop play opportunities that are enriching and value as central to learning." (Nahmad-Williams, 2012:123)
3. as facilitator and manager of resources
  1. "children will learn through play through their own direction and with their own purpose" (Nahmad-Williams, 2012: 127)
4. "any activity that is directed by an adult is no longer play in the truest sense" (Nahmad-Williams, 2012: 128)
5. as model
  1. thinking skills
  2. vocabulary
  3. speaking/listening skills
6. mediator
7. observer
  1. (Bennett et al, 1998, 2)
8. partner
enabling environments
1. free flow
2. indoor/outdoor provision
3. role play
  1. not too specific!
    1. "some resources are so specific that it could be argued that they might restrict children's play" (Nahmad-Williams, 2012: 132)
5. space and flexibility
  1. (Nahmad-Williams, 2012: 134)

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Play based curriculum

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