T HE I MPORTANCE OF P LAY By Kaitlyn West

W HAT IS PLAY ? According to an article in the Harvard University Press, “play” is described as a term employed in psychology and ethology to describe a range of voluntary, intrinsically motivated activities normally associated with recreational pleasure and enjoyment. Play is most commonly associated with children and their juvenile-level activities.

L EARNING THROUGH PLAY In the wild, young animals play to practice and develop skills that will aid them their entire lives. Children gain many of the same benefits from playing. When children play, they exercise their imagination, problem-solving skills, and many other important mental faculties.

L EARNING THROUGH PLAY CONT. Play is an essential component of early childhood development. It not only entertains, but it also helps build useful skills that will be used throughout children’s lives. Playing is key to the development of intellectual, social and interpersonal skills. It also helps keep kids healthy. Studies show that children learn most during playtime at a young age. The skills learned may not be “academic,” but instead are life skills that often get forgotten about in the curriculum. Such skills include sharing, turn taking, and leading.

P LAY IN THE C LASSROOM Play can be implemented in the classroom and should be an essential part to any schedule between Preschool and Elementary School. Set aside times of the day strictly for playtime. Center time in the morning upon arrival and again before departure are popular times to include play in the schedule. Also, be sure to have a certain time at least weekly for outside play.

O UTDOOR P LAY Jungle gym Swings Slide Monkey bars Sand box Trucks Shovels Rakes Lawn games Volleyball Bean bag toss Toss games Tetherball Paved ground Tricycles/Bicycles Basketball Peddle Cars Some examples of outdoor play equipment are:

I NDOOR P LAY Dramatic Play Dolls Dress up clothing Kitchen items Block center Wood blocks Legos Lincoln Logs Art Center Paint Markers/Crayons Tracers Chalk/Chalkboard Manipulative Center Puzzles Links Lacing activites Some examples of indoor play equipment are:

T EACHING WITH P LAY Many will say that while children are playing they are not learning anything academic. However, as a teacher you can incorporate games into your teaching. This will make it a fun way to learn the material being covered.

T EACHING WITH P LAY C ONT. Examples of games are: Scavenger hunt for things beginning with the weekly letter Trivia games to review math and alphabet lessons Matching games to practice memory skills Dressing as a character from a story book or historical figure learned about in class Card games or dice games to practice math skills

P LAY I NSPIRES C REATIVITY Creativity is hard to come by in this day and age. People often rely on technology or other means to help with daily tasks. Providing children with playtime will help them establish a sense of creativity at a young age so that they may hold onto it for the rest of their lives. Children can play pretend roles, create art projects, or build a castle during playtime.

P LAY AND S TAYING A CTIVE Most children spend a majority of their time watching TV and playing video games. Play time, both indoors and outdoors, can help promote a healthy, active lifestyle at a young age. Allowing children to run will let them release some of their energy and also promote gross motor development. If they make a habit out of playing actively, it could influence the rest of their lives.

R EFERENCES children-learn-through-play/ important-early-childhood-development.html