Play is the main way in which your child learns. Development through play affects all areas of his development. Play fosters the
following in your child’s overall development...
- Physical... develops his co-ordination skills
- Cognitive... finding out about the world around him
- Language... trying out new words
- Emotional... practising adult roles through role play
- Social... experiencing the behaviours that society expects.
Stages of Play
|
Age
|
Stage of Play
|
Development
|
|
0 – 2 Years
|
Solitary
|
He plays alone. There is little interaction with other
children.
|
|
2 – 2.5 Years
|
Spectator
|
He will watch other children playing around him but
will not join in.
|
|
2.5 - 3 Years
|
Parallel
|
He will play alongside other children but do not play
together.
|
|
3 – 4 Years
|
Associative
|
Begins to interact with others in his play and co-operates
with other children in play.
|
|
4 – 5 Years
|
Associative
|
Starts to develop friendship and preferences for playing
with other children. He plays in usually mixed sex groups.
|
|
5 – 6 Years
|
Co-operative
|
Plays together with shared goals with other children during play.
Play can be quite complicated and he is supportive towards
others in the play. As he reaches primary school age, play
is usually in single sex groups.
|
Types of Play, Materials and Resources
|
Play Type
|
Examples of Materials and Resources
|
|
Imaginative Play
|
Dressing-up clothes, play mobil, farm animals, tea sets.
|
|
Construction
|
Brio, duplo, foam blocks, jigsaws, stickle bricks, popoids.
|
|
Creative Play incorporating Play with Natural materials
|
Clay, paint, play dough, sink modelling, collage, sand, water.
|
|
Physical Slides Play
|
Hoops, tricycles, balls, skipping ropes.
|
Development Through Play in the Foundation Stage
- Play allows your child to be active when he learns
- Play helps him negotiate and work together with other children
- Set his own boundaries and challenges as he plays
- He will learn from play because it is a meaningful experience
- Play encourages him to learn because he is relaxed
- Your child who plays is likely to concentrate for longer periods
- He will naturally set his play at an appropriate level.
Click here to learn more about how children learn through play.
See Also...
