The Importance of Play Ch. 24
Play & Development Physical Intellectual Emotional Social Moral Helps children strengthen muscles, develop large motor skills, burn energy, improve coordination Intellectual Teaches about environment, words, letters, ideas Storytelling, pretend play and drawing encourage creativity Emotional Helps a child learn to give and receive love, reach out to others, and develop self-esteem Social Learn how to make and maintain relationships and solve conflicts Moral Helps children learn how their actions will affect people
Active & Quiet Play Active Play Activities that are primarily physical and employ large-motor skills All children need active play Helps develop large muscles & allows them to release energy Ex: running, riding a bike, jumping on the bed
Active & Quiet Play Quiet Play Activities that engage the mind and small-motor skills and do not call for much movement Helps children develop their small muscles and think in different ways Ex: reading a book, doing a puzzle
Active & Quiet Play Good health depends on both types of play The child will be better able to adapt to situations Not ever child requires the same amount Age personality
Promoting Children’s Play Should be tailored to the developmental stage of the particular child Should fit the child’s skill and interest level Most fun Most stimulating
Infants and Play Explore through their senses Sensory toys: objects that stimulate the senses with different textures, shapes, sounds, and colors Helps the infant feel loved Enjoy seeing faces, hearing voices, and feeling the caring touch of people around them Adapt to infants moods and schedules
Toddlers and Play Active! Enjoying running, jumping, etc. Promotes a toddler’s intellectual development Enjoy playing with water, sand, modeling clay, dough, finger paints Spurs creativity and helps toddlers develop small motor skills Enjoy imitating adults
Preschoolers and Play Increase the variety of play Better small-motor skills Self-esteem increases Creativity is expressed strongly through pretending Pretend play mates Practice expressing feelings and behaviors
Making the Most of Play Children who spend time with interested, creative caregivers are likely to develop at a faster rate and refine their skills more than children who do not.
Useful Techniques Children who are busy with safe, interesting play are far less likely to become restless, get into trouble, or test caregivers. Distract: lead children away from something they shouldn’t do Facilitate: help bring about play without controlling what the child does
Handling Competition Useful because it motivates children to try their hardest Help children learn to handle competitive play by emphasizing the pleasure of play
Reading Books Enhances verbal communication Talking, listening, and vocabulary building Enhances children’s imaginations and learning abilities Fulfills emotional and social needs Allow children to read to you!
Tips for Reading to Young Children Choose stories appropriate for the child’s age. Be prepared for a child’s request to hear the same story/book over and over. Take time to let the child look at the pictures. Talk about the story, act it out, or refer to it later.
http://www.easternct.edu/cece/e-clips_play.html https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mIayLh2P5C0