Chapter 1 Valuing Play

Chapter one activity Think about your favorite play activity as a child and write about it. –Share your experience with a partner or group of 3 next to you. (a few minutes)

Did play occur outdoors or indoors? What was your age? How does play and remembering play make you feel? How was play valuable to you? What messages were send to you about play from the adults in your life? Did they play with you?

Is play valuable? If so, for whom?

Defining Play Components of play Characteristics of Play (What children experience) Observable Behaviors (What adults see) Contexts of Play (What impacts it and where it occurs)

Characteristics of Play Play Voluntary Free of external rules Symbolic Focuses on action rather than outcomes Pleasurable Requires active involvement

What is your definition of play? Think—Pair—Share

Educational Definition Focuses on Characteristics Play is pleasurable. Play is voluntary and intrinsically motivated. Play is symbolic, meaningful, and transformational. Play actively engages the players. Play is rule-bound. Play focuses on process rather than product.

Advocacy Definition Play is natural and valuable for all young children. Play and development are reciprocal, progressive, and transformative. Play promotes good physical and mental health. All children should have easy access to play places that are safe and that support quality play. All children have the right to play as stated in Article 31 of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child.

Comparing Play and Exploration Play positive affect creative combinations, improvisational casual demeanor; heart rate is variable Exploration neutral affect (cautious) stereotypical behaviors Intense; heart rate is steady; and concentration evident

Comparing Play and Playfulness Play –observable behaviors –reproducible context –characteristics of play Playfulness –personality trait or internal disposition spontaneity openness curious joyful humorous communicative emotionally expressive

Levels of Cognitive Play Sensorimotor play Symbolic play Games with rules

Levels of Sensorimotor Play Practice play or functional play –mere practice play-repeating an act for pleasure already been mastered (riding bike, tying & untying shoes) –fortuitous combinations-practice play discovers new way of putting activities together (blocks) –intentional combinations-new behaviors are deliberately combined, symbolic (blocks turn into a wall) –constructive play- use materials to create or construct something (blocks, paint, play-doh)

Levels of Symbolic Play Level I (Birth to 2 years) –symbolism begins Level II (2 to 7 years) –Orderliness-spoon on a placemat –exact imitation of reality – imitates reality –collective symbolism with differentiation and complementary adjustment of roles- children agree to different roles

Levels of Social Play unoccupied behavior onlooker behavior solitary play parallel play associative play cooperative play

Contexts of Play child microsystem exosystem macrosystem Mesosystem –interaction between two systems –chronosystem— impact of factors over time

To support play, adults should… maintain healthy, safe, play spaces. develop schedules that ensure that basic physiological needs are met. cultivate an array of familiar peers, materials, or other culturally relevant materials. display behaviors that encourage but do not disrupt play. establish an agreement between the adult and the child that play can occur. Signals are often used to indicate that this is a psychologically safe play space.

Specific actions that encourage play include… focusing on the process (rather than the goal) of play. Ask exploratory questions that help extend the child’s play. elaborating and building on children’s play or interests. Make comments, offer new and varied materials. reflecting the emotions children express in their play and actions. This labels and validates children’s feelings.

Encouraging play (cont.) defining the problem. Help children learn negotiation skills. Encourage them to think about alternatives. providing varied materials to encourage exploration and play. providing open-ended materials for play. (Klein, Wirth, and Linas, 2003, pp. 40– 41)

Obstacles to Play poverty and violence changing cultural values inadequate space overemphasis on academics

Summary Play can be defined and studied using specific criteria. Characteristics, observable behaviors, and context guide the study of play. Play can and should be an important part of every child’s life.

Wrap up –In groups of two or three come up with a pneumonic for the six educational characteristics of play. –Share