1. Foundation Degree Level 5 b Play and Recreation: Play Theories
Lecturer: Laura Griffiths

2. Lesson Aim
The aim of today's session is to discuss your research on play theories and to explore the stages of children’s play.

3. Lesson Objective By the end of today’s session you should….
Have a definite understanding of what play theories are and how they influence current practice.
Be able to identify the stages of children’s play.
Describe the spiral curriculum.

4. Play Theories: Background
Play is now seen as an essential part in supporting children’s learning and development.
This can be through a play based curriculum or in clubs such as before/after school.
Different approaches to play will vary across ages and individual needs.

5. Play Theories: Background
Current theories of play are based upon the work of a number of pioneers.
Many of these pioneers began their research 200 years ago, when children once lived very formal lives.
However the work that they once completed had an enormous influence on current practice.

6. Jean-Jacques Rousseau 1712-1778
French Philosopher – forward thinking
Wrote a book called ‘Emile’ (1762) which advocated that children under 12 explore through play.
He wanted children to discover the world without adult involvement.
He influenced other pioneers – (Froebel and Montessori)
Helped to shape current thinking of a play based curriculum.

7. Friedrich Froebel ( )
Froebel carried out pioneering work with young children in Germany.
In 1840 he founded the first Kindergarten for children aged 3-7 years. The children were encouraged to play indoors and outdoors.
Frobel stressed the importance of ‘symbolic play’ – (One thing standing for another)

8. Friedrich Froebel ( )
Frobel also stressed the importance of ‘imaginative play’.
He felt that through imaginative play children would learn at their highest level.
Frobel was also well known for block play, encouraging the learning of mathematical concepts.

9. Friedrich Froebel (1782-1852) Frobel’s Influence on current practice.
There are training centres in England that train practitioners in Froebel's ways of thinking.
Children’s needs are at the centre.
Children should discover for themselves.
Songs and rhymes are used to teach children.
Play to develop learning.
The outdoor environment is central to children’s learning.
Theorists such as Tina Bruce and Chris Athey base their research on Frobel’s ideas.

10. Maria Montessori 1870-1952 Montessori was a doctor.
Her initial research was based on children with specific learning needs.
She then began to work with children from working families, setting up the famous house in San Lorenzo (deprived area in Rome)

11. Maria Montessori
Montessori's work was very innovative during a time when children’s learning was very ‘rote’ (repetition of facts spoken aloud)
She encouraged children to organise their own activities and absorb information from their environment.
Montessori believed in a child-led education, learning through the senses and development of construction their own ideas

12. Maria Montessori
Unlike Frobel, Montessori did not place a value on imaginative play but instead encouraged children to learn from real life activities.
Link to Montessori Schools Website

13. Maria Montessori
In a Montessori school children are presented with specially designed equipment that are referred to as ‘didactic’ materials (intended to instruct)
Montessori believed that children will only play with the material provided if they are ready – age and stage.
Montessori believed that children are capable and adults should guide them not lead them.
The early years is a recognised time when children are very absorbent.

14. Maria Montessori 1870-1952 Montessori and current practice.
Although Montessori valued adult initiated play rather than child initiated play, her views have influenced settings through the following means…
A holistic approach to development.
The focus on the child’s involvement with the environment.
Encouraging children to take responsibility.
Consideration of age and stage appropriate activities.

15. Rudolph Steiner
Steiner believed in the importance of maintaining a bond the child and the adult.
He believed that self esteem and emotional well-being were central to the child’s development.
His approach to education was holistic, placing great importance on being healthy – diet and physical well-being.

16. Rudolph Steiner
Like Montessori Steiner considered the environment to being central in children’s learning experiences.
Steiner encouraged adults to assess children individually and to plan accordingly.
Children with additional needs were to be included in play activities and not segregated.

17. Rudolph Steiner 1861-1925 Did you know???
Steiner believed that childhood was divided into three phases…..
1 – The will (0-7 Years) Fusing of the body and spirit
2 – The heart (7-14) The rhythm of the heartbeat meant that feelings are an important part of this age range.
3 – The head (14 years +) A period of thinking.

18. Rudolph Steiner 1861-1925 Steiner and current practice
Steiner's influence can be traced in settings today through the following….
Children with addition needs are integrated into mainstream schools when possible.
Children with additional needs are considered when planning play situations. A SENCO is appointed to advise on this matter.
Circle time is widely used to as a means of developing well-being and communication.

19. Margaret McMillan
McMillan believed that a child would develop into a whole person by learning through play.
McMillan initially focussed on developing a child’s manual dexterity (skill and grace in physical movements).
McMillan believed that children should have access to all materials through free play.

20. Margaret McMillan
Just like Steiner, McMillan placed a great emphasis on a healthy diet – linking deprivation to a poor level of learning.
McMillan also shared Froebel’s ideas on the importance of first hand experiences and active learning.

21. Margaret McMillan 1860-1931 McMillan’s influence on current practice.
McMillan influenced today's early years current practice through the following approaches…
A child centred curriculum based on play.
Partnerships between parents and recognising them as educators.
Focus on healthy meals for children
Professional development of adults working with children

22. Susan Isaacs
Isaac’s was influenced by the work created by Frobel, she also took in to consideration the work created by Anna Freud and Melanie Klein in the sense of imaginary play.
They believed that a child’s emotional state was revealed through imaginary play.
Isaac’s believe that play was a tool used to explore and understand a child's feelings.

23. Susan Isaacs
Isaac’s believed that children should be provided with the space and freedom to move around in.
A play based curriculum should be implemented to aid children’s learning up to 7 years of age.
Isaac’s conducted research into when it was appropriate age for children to start school. Her research suggested that children would regress if starting at five rather than before.

24. Susan Isaacs 1885-1948 Isaac’s and current practice
Isaac’s influence on current early years practice is seen through the following…..
The emphasis on working in partnerships with parents. Seeing them as educators.
Imaginary play as a way of exploring feelings.
The current debate as to whether children should be in school before the age of five.

25. Jean Piaget
Piaget was recognised for his thinking on how children would actually learn. He was a constructivist theorist.
However it is widely known that many challenged his theories.
However, his approach to understanding how children learn is actively used in practice today.

26. Jean Piaget
Piaget theorised that for children to learn they had to be active participants in their own learning.
He also believed that children would pass through four stages of development form birth right up to adulthood
Sensori-motor - Gaining control of his/her movements
Pre operational - Everyone has the same thoughts
Concrete operational – Logic start to set in
Formal operational – Fully developed abstract thinking (hard to understand)

27. Jean Piaget
One of Piaget’s main ideas referred to children’s learning through the development of what's known as Schemas.
Piaget believed that children learn through exploration of their surroundings making conclusions of what they have seen or explored, this is what Piaget refers to as schemas.

28. Jean Piaget
One of Piaget’s main ideas referred to children’s learning through the development of what's known as Schemas.
Piaget believed that children learn through exploration of their surroundings making conclusions of what they have seen or explored, this is what Piaget refers to as schemas.
Piaget believed children built upon these schemas to enforce learning. This happens in Four stages.

30. Jean Piaget 1896-1980 Piaget and current practice
Despite there being many criticisms to Piaget’s work, Chris Athey applied Piaget’s model and describes the development of schemas to relate to current practice
Transporting – moving one thing to another place.
Connecting – Putting things together then separating
Trajectory – Wanting to see how things move
Rotation – Interested in seeing how things move round
Enveloping – Interested in putting things into containers.

31. Lev Vygotsky
Like Piaget, Vygotsky was a constructivist theorist. He also believed in children constructing their own learning.
However, he placed much more influence on the role of the adult in supporting children's development through play this is called scaffolding.
Vygotsky emphasised what children were capable of learning – ZPD

33. Lev Vygotsky 1896-1934 Vygotsky and current practice.
Vygotsky’s influence on today's practice can be seen through the following….
A child centred approach.
Adult led activities – the adult acts as guide to support and extend learning.
Through planning adults can organise activities that will develop children's own ideas. (Adult initiated)

34. Jerome Bruner Born 1915
Like Piaget and Vygotsky, Bruner believed that children learn through choice and active involvement in their own learning.
Bruner believed that in the following
Doing – first hand experiences
Imaging – books, displays to remind of previous learning e.g. interest tables.
Making what they know – the use of language

35. Tina Bruce
Tina Bruce is a current expert in early years education and sees play as vital to children’s development.
Her definition of free flow play has influenced the way children are offered a choice of activities in the early years curriculum.
Bruce believes that a play provision should be of the highest quality to enable a holistic approach to young children.

36. Tina Bruce
Tina Bruce identifies 12 features of play to help recognise, monitor and cultivate free-flow play.
Using first hand experiences
Making up rules
Making props
Choosing to play
Rehearsing for the future
Pretending
Playing alone
Playing together
Having a personal agenda
Being deeply involved
Trying out recent learning
Coordinating ideas, feelings and relationships for the free-flow play

37. Janet Moyles
Janet Moyles focuses upon children’s play in the early years.
She argues that ‘free play’ without an adults input needs to be followed with play directed by the adult.
Once he/she has mastered that play they can return to free play using the skills that the adult has helped them to learn.