Preschool

MRS KAREN HUMPHREYS preschool coordinator

We don’t stop playing because we grow old; we grow old because we stop playing. - George Bernard Shaw

UNDERSTANDING THE IMPORTANCE OF “PLAY” IN PRESCHOOL

One of the most important conversations I have with Preschool parents is regarding the significance of play in early childhood development. Children have an inherent propensity to explore, inquire and learn, and play provides improvisational potentials for children to learn in an environment that comes naturally to them. Play develops the “whole child” and lays the foundations for future learning.

The impulse to play comes from a natural desire to understand the world. This play impulse is as strong as their desire for food or sleep. It is this intrinsic motivation that allows a child to regulate his/her own feelings and desires in order to keep playing. Eventually, children find it more important to be part of play with their friends than to satisfy their own wants and needs at that moment and, as such, children learn self-control. Research indicates that self-control has been shown to lead to success in later years, especially in today’s information age, where distractions are part of daily life.

In true play, children are so fully engaged that they lose awareness of their surroundings, time and space. In this risk-free atmosphere where reality is suspended, children have the security and safety they need to experiment, try new ideas, and investigate the laws of nature. Although they are immersed in their play, children still can recognise reality versus fantasy.

During the day at TSS Preschool, play can be totally unplanned or, at other times, educators carefully determine provocations for play that will provide opportunities for desired outcomes to be developed. The boys will engage with the provocation and take it in the direction that suits their needs and interests at that time. Educators will then scaffold the boys through questioning and negotiation to extend this interest further. Pre-literacy and pre-numeracy are continually embedded throughout these provocations and the children’s play. However, a child may impulsively make a change. One child changes his mind, or perhaps a toy does not cooperate. This sense of the unknown provides children with opportunities to develop flexibility in their thinking and decision making, which is a vital life skill. Additionally, play helps to build selfworth by giving a child a sense of his/ her own abilities and to feel good about themselves. As play is fun, children often become very absorbed in what they are doing. In turn, this helps them develop the ability to concentrate. Both free play and guided play are essential for the development of academic skills including; reading, writing, mathematics and science.

Providing children with a range of resources will help them learn in a number of ways: • Sand and water play can be an early introduction to science and maths, e.g. learning that water is fluid, not solid, and that it can be measured in different sized containers. • Playing with dough, drawing and painting pictures, dressing up, playing with dolls can encourage creativity, imagination and expression of feelings.

• Building blocks, jigsaws and shape sorters can help with recognising different shapes and sizes, putting things in order and developing logic • Playing ball games, dancing, running, climbing all help to develop body movement, strength, flexibility and co-ordination skills

• Multiple drawing materials enable them to learn to use symbols to represent their ideas, which is a necessary skill for learning to read and write • Stringing beads improves their eyehand coordination, which is needed for learning to write • Mixing two colours of paint together to make another colour, develops an understanding of cause and effect • Pretend-play improves their language skills, social skills, and developing an understanding of social expectations, including empathy • Games help with turn taking, sharing and mixing with others • Singing, playing simple music instruments help to develop rhythm, listening and hearing. One thing play is not, is frivolous. Recent research confirms what Piaget always knew, that play is the work of childhood.

RECENT RESEARCH ON ACADEMIC ENHANCEMENT THROUGH PLAY Physical play has been associated with areas of brain development (the frontal lobes) that are responsible for behavioral and cognitive control. Indeed, a recent study used guided play throughout a school day to help preschoolers learn how to hold back impulsive behaviours and responses. The executive function skills (attention, problem solving, and inhibition) nurtured in the guided play conditions were related to improvements in mathematics and reading.

Academically, then, play is related to literacy and numeracy as well as to the important learning processes that feed these competencies. More specifically, there are direct studies connecting play to literacy and language, and to mathematics. For example, 4-yearolds’ play—in the form of rhyming games, making shopping lists, and “reading” story books to stuffed animals—predicts both language and reading readiness. Research suggests that children demonstrate their most advanced language skills during play, and that these language skills are strongly related to emergent literacy. A review of 12 studies on literacy and play allowed Roskos and Christie to conclude that play provides settings that promote literacy activity, skills, and strategies . . and can provide opportunities to teach and learn literacy.

Finally, play and guided play offer strong support for academic and social learning. In fact, comparisons of preschools that use playful, childcentered approaches versus less playful, more teacher-directed approaches reveal that children in the childcentered approaches do better in tests of reading, language, writing, and mathematics. More engaging and interesting environments for children foster better learning well into the school setting. Given the findings linking play and learning, it is perhaps shocking that play has been devalued in our profession. Unfortunately, there has been a decline in opportunities for unstructured play. Many children are engaged in adultdirected, scheduled activities (e.g., sports activities, music, dance) and have very little downtime to spend “just playing” by using their imagination e.g., building forts, playing outside. An increasing amount of children have a lot of daily “screen time” (e.g., cartoons, DVDs, computers, electronic games, iPhones, iPads) starting at an early age, meaning that more time is spent in front of a screen than engaged in physical or imaginative play. Also, increased attention to academics and enrichment activities has reduced the opportunities for play.

CHILDREN’S RIGHT TO PLAY The United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child recognises play as one of the basic human rights of children (Article 31). Play is fundamentally about protecting children’s freedom to explore, discover and interact with the physical and social world around them.

JUST PLAYING When I am building in the block room, Please don’t say I’m “Just Playing.” For, you see, I’m learning as I play, About balance and shapes. Who knows, I may be an an architect someday. When I am getting all dressed up, Setting the table, caring for the babies, Don’t get the idea I’m “Just Playing.” For, you see, I’m learning as I play. I’m expressing myself and being creative. I may be an artist or an inventor someday. When you see me sitting in a chair “Reading” to an imaginary audience, Please don’t laugh and think I’m “Just Playing.” For, you see, I’m learning as I play. I may be a teacher someday. When you see me combing the bushes for bugs, Or packing my pockets with choice things I find, Don’t pass it off as “Just Play.” For, you see, I’m learning as I play. I may be a scientist someday. When you see me engrossed in a puzzle or some “plaything” at my school, Please don’t feel that time is wasted in “Play.” For, you see, I’m learning as I play. I’m learning to solve problems and concentrate. I may be in business some day. When you see me cooking or tasting foods, Please don’t think that because I enjoy it, it is “Just Play.” For, you see, I’m learning as I play. I’m learning to follow directions and see differences. I may be a cook someday. When you see me learning to skip, hop, run, and move my body, Please don’t say I’m “Just Playing.” For, you see, I’m learning as I play. I’m learning how my body works. I may be a doctor, nurse, or athlete someday. When you ask me what I’ve done at school today, And I say, I “Just played.” Please don’t misunderstand me. For, you see, I’m learning as I play. I’m learning to enjoy and be successful at my work, I’m preparing for tomorrow. Today, I am a child and my work is play.

Anita Wadley

REFERENCES Krafft KC, Berk LE. Private speech in two preschools: Significance of open-ended activities and make-believe play for verbal self-regulation. Early Childhood Research Quarterly 1998;13(4):637-658.

Piaget, J. Play, Dreams, and Imitation in Childhood. Gattegno C, Hodgson FN, trans. New York, NY: W. W. Norton & company; 1962.

Roskos K, Christie J. Examining the play-literacy interface: A critical review and future directions. In: Zigler EF, Singer DG, Bishop-Josef SJ, eds. Children’s play: Roots of reading. 1st ed. Washington D.C.; Zero to Three Press; 2004:116.

PRESCHOOL E

SEATED ROW: G. ZAKARIA, L. DODHY, T. BUTLER, J. GILBERT, T. WAN SECOND ROW: H. WILLIAMS, A. LI, R. HARRIS, R. SUN THIRD ROW: J. WOODFORD, R. ROBERTSON, J. QUINN, O. ANDERSEN, M. COUGHRAN ABSENT: G. REIDY, A. TAO, S. WHALA

PRESCHOOL L

SEATED ROW: M. BOS, E. SWAN, E. SMITH, J. YU, A. LATIMER, I. ROOTS, D. ATTOE SECOND ROW: Z. ZENIOU, H. GWILLIAM, W. DAWSON, T. STROUD, L. DICKSON, P. PULJICH THIRD ROW: H. FINUCAN, C. TE KLOOT, H. ALBACK, Z. WOOD, O. LASHMAR

PRESCHOOL S

SEATED ROW: N. LEWIS, H. PARTRIDGE, E. GALE, J. KIM, J. RYALL SECOND ROW: C. DOUGLASS, J. JIN, S. SMITH, J. KELLY, T. TREVETHAN, S. RUSSELL THIRD ROW: H. CHOW, T. KEILY, H. MASSEY, M. WU, N. STERRITT ABSENT: M. FLANDERS, S. HAMILTON