How Play Affects Child Development Research

Play is the demonstration of the natural creative impulses that drive our imaginations

uncontrolled by society in terms of what is practical and what is possible. It’s through play that

kids build the social skills, physical development and creativity that is necessary not only for a

joyous childhood but also a productive adulthood. Play constitutes a research for discovery of

self and discovery of the world. Play is an important curriculum in early childhood and should

be child-directed, child-initiated and unstructured.“Play is a primary activity in childhood, and

especially for younger children.”( Li,J., Hestenes, L.L., &n Wang, Y. C. (2016).)

How Play Affects Children Overall Development

Play reflects the development of brain areas.
This is what Piaget called “practice play”. As

the child continues to grow he also grow developmentally to play. Most toddlers are into action

games where they develop they large motor skills in play by running, jumping, climbing, and

riding. When the child reach between the age of 3-6 years of age their imagination and

interaction play increases. Play fosters many areas of a young child’s development that include

the social and cognitive development.Through play the child learn to delay gratification and to

prioritize their goals and actions. They learn the ability to see other perspectives and they learn

to play multiple roles. As children enter into the school system they are not expected to have all

of the academics competencies but they should be able to concentrate, pay attention, and be

considerate of others.
Setting up a classroom so that the affects of play will allow the child to

grow cognitively and socially in a mature manner.The setting should allow the child to be able

to have mature imaginative play and give the adults a stage in which to encourage the play.

Play Place in the Curriculum

PERSONAL PHILOSOPHY OF PLAY

Educators, child development specialist, and parents have looked at play in the curriculum.

Many parents and educators believe that play is the best way for a child to learn concepts, skills,

and tasks needed to set a solid foundation for later school and adult living. There are still others

that believe that play is a waster of time with off task behaviors. They think it is just a time for a

child to be noisy and messy, unstructured and non-educational. Play is just a luxury something

we don’t have time for. As stated earlier play helps the child to develop even at birth.

"Play involves a free choice activity that is non-literal, self-motivated, enjoyable and

process oriented. Critical to this definition is the non-literal, non-realistic aspect. This

means external aspects of time, use of materials, the environment, rules of the play
activity,

and the children-playing make up all roles of the participants. They are based on the child's

sense of reality"( Johnson, J.E., Christie, J.F., & Yawkey, T.D. (1999).)

With the new emphasis on national and state standards and school accountability it is

becoming even more important that the early childhood programs do not eliminate play in their

curriculum. It important to understand what play is. Pretend play. Mature play. When play is

properly manipulated into the curriculum the child can develop their cognitive, social, emotional,

and physical skills.

Play Importance in the Lives Young Children

Play is important because it comes in can happen in so many ways but it can always help a

child to grow. If a child engages in constructive play they use things in their environment to

PERSONAL PHILOSOPHY OF PLAY

create things. This can be anything from building with blockings to drawing with chalk.

Whatever the manipulative it allows the children to express them selves. If a child is good at

manipulating objects and materials they can also become good at manipulating words, ideas, and

concepts. In fantasy play the child learns how to try out new roles and possible situations.

Children can develop flexible thinking stretch their imaginations, use new words and word

combinations. The child can learn to create beyond the here and now. (Shore, R., (1997).)

Play allows children to use their creativity while developing and strengthening their

imagination, all of their developmental areas and at the same time helping them to interact n the

world.

Specialty Area - Cultural Aspects of Play

Culture is people way of behaving, being in and understanding the world. In order for play to

work with cultural aspects they must be given familiar props to represent their environment. It is

necessary for the educator to make sure they can learn as much as possible about student’s

culture so they can adequately judge appropriate play. Since the environment of some children

directly affects their play educators need to constantly communicate with the child and problem

open discussion for a variety of issues and topics that may occur doing play. One of the ways

that children learn to play in regards to culture is a game with rules.

“Developmentally, most children progress from an egocentric view of the world to an

understanding of the importance of social contracts and rules. Part of this development

occurs as they learn that games like Follow the Leader, Red Rover, Simon Says, baseball,

soccer cannot function without everyone adhering to the same set of rules. This "games

PERSONAL PHILOSOPHY OF PLAY

with rules" concept teaches children a critically important concept-the game of life has

rules (laws) that we all must follow to function productively (Wardle, 1987).”

Personal Revelations

I have found that in my readings on play that it is very important for children to learn through

play. It is good for the development of the student and the educator. The child can learn more

about themselves and others and the educator is able to use their observation to learn more on

how to academically educate the child