1. Learning through Play

2. Why learn through play?
Developmentally appropriate – EYFS curriculum built around it;
Build relationships – Personal, Social & Emotional Development
Creativity – Expressive Arts & Design
Develop language – Communication & Language
Build strength – Physical Development
Build blocks for specific areas of learning – Literacy, Maths & Understanding the World
Problem-solving skills – Maths

3. Types of Play Physical play Games with rules Creative play
Language play
Pretend play

4. Physical Play
Develops gross motor skills – large movements such as running, jumping, skipping
Develops fine motor skills – smaller actions such as cutting, holding a pencil, threading
Physical Development = one of the prime areas of the EYFS curriculum.
2 strands; Moving and Handling & Health and Self-Care

5. Physical Play Examples
Gross Motor Play
Fine Motor Play
Play games outside – space to run
Climbing frames, balancing, swings etc
Building dens
Ring games
Dancing to music
Puzzles & jigsaws
Construction
Threading
Playdough

7. Games with rules Following instructions
Dealing with emotions associated with winning & losing
Turn-taking opportunities
Often develop other learning too e.g maths/literacy
Understanding of following rules
Communication and Language = one of the prime areas of the EYFS curriculum.
3 strands; Listening and Attention, Understanding & Speaking

8. Games with Rules Examples
Snakes & Ladders
Bingo
Junior scrabble
Hide & seek
Computer games/apps on tablets
I spy
Card games – snap, pairs

10. Creative Play Gives children freedom of expression
Opportunity to recreate previously-seen ideas
Opportunity to imagine and create from scratch
Expressive Arts and Design = one of the specific areas of the EYFS curriculum.
2 strands; Exploring & Using Media & Materials and Being Imaginative

11. Creative Play Examples
Painting and drawing
Junk modelling with recycling
Collage with old magazines
Printing with fruits & vegetables
Making instruments using rice & dried pulses in bottles
Using found objects as instruments – saucepans, tins, bottles
Role-play using props

13. Language Play
Experimenting with language, words, letters and sounds in the local environment
Singing and rhyming
Communication and Language = one of the prime areas of the EYFS curriculum.
3 strands; Listening and Attention, Understanding & Speaking
Literacy = one of the specific areas of the EYFS curriculum.
2 strands; Reading and Writing

14. Language Play Examples
I spy
Memory games – shopping list
Rhyming games – rhyming dominoes, rhyming pairs
Tongue twisters & nursery rhymes
Jokes
Talking on phones & walkie talkies
Puppets
Make up stories using toys

16. Pretend Play Imitating Imagining Experimenting with different roles
Interacting with others in the same theme
Problem-solving
Dealing with complex emotions – empathy

17. Pretend Play Examples Role-play – dressing up box
Use every day items as props – brushes, gardening tools, old phones, measuring tapes, money
Making props – masks, hats, menus, telescopes
Join in the role-play too!