Honoring the Messages of Children’s Play Presented by: Robin Holman Maine Roads To Quality “Use Children’s interests and ideas as starting points for conversations” (Howard &Wood, 2011)

“Using language, construction materials, and their own bodies in action, children begin to represent their experiences.” (Jones & Reynolds, 2011)

“Children use play to access literate identities as readers, writers, and designers . . . (Wohlwend, 2011).

Literacy (literacies) PLAY “Play is children’s first language for making meaning of the world.” (Jones & Reynolds, 2011) Literacy (literacies) PLAY Builds reading, writing and oral skills A learning process Skills based Involves Listening, viewing, speaking, Builds knowledge and competence Involves different Ways of thinking Recognizes and understands visible actions and images Builds relationships and social skills Constructs knowledge and make meaning Supports self-regulation Supports divergent thinking and imagination Uses Oral language and builds narrative Represents children’s experience Communicates ideas Deepens personal connections the world

Play Literacies

“Play is in reality one of the aspects of any activity” (Jean Piaget)

“Most Lessons plans identify objects that are dependent on teaching not on children’s spontaneous Learning through Play.” (Jones & Reynolds, 2011) Next 20 minutes Work in small groups (10 minutes) Look at pictures of children’s play Discuss what you notice – what is the message of this play? Whole group Connect

What do you notice? What do you wonder? Describe what you see and what you think you may be hearing How would you name the essence of the child’s play?

How can children’s play Inform our planning? What do the children know? What might the children need to continue this play?

What do you notice? What do you wonder? Describe what you see and what you think you may be hearing How would you name the essence of the child’s play?

How can children’s play Inform our planning? What do the children know? What might the children need to continue this play?

What do you notice? What do you wonder? Describe what you see and what you think you may be hearing How would you name the essence of the child’s play?

How can children’s play Inform our planning? What do the children know? What might the children need to continue this play?

What do you notice? What do you wonder? Describe what you see and what you think you may be hearing How would you name the essence of the child’s play?

How can children’s play Inform our planning What do the children know? What might the children need to continue this play?

What do you notice? What do you wonder? Describe what you see and what you think you may be hearing How would you name the essence of the child’s play?

How can we use children’s play to inform us? What do the children know? What might the children need to continue this play?

Play experience 40 minutes “There is no true way to understand Play without understanding the feelings connected to the play because play is done for it’s own sake.” (Brown, 2009) Four play experiences Play with objects ~(10 minutes) Rotate ~(4 times) Reflect and Connect –Whole group Play experience 40 minutes

“We will create a future where it is not about play OR education but rather about playful learning as education.” (Hirsh-Paskek&Golinkoff)

It is through the observation of play that organizations can begin to question, create, or realign standards that are based on Children’s real life Experiences. (Robin Holman)

Robin Holman Robin.Holman@maine.edu Thank you Robin Holman Robin.Holman@maine.edu