Learning Through Play in Preschool
Daycare Play Leads to Real Life Social and Emotional Development
Jul 15, 2008
Children learn best through their everyday experiences because they are naturally curious, active, and eager to learn and try new things. Through play they learn about themselves, others, their environment, and the world at large. Preschool curriculum should build learning opportunities directly into play so that learning and development matches that of the growing child.
Importance of Learning through Play
Learning through play is an important and natural process. Learning through play introduces and teaches new skills with a happy, comfortable and fun approach says Gale Kelleher, director of Rainbow Nursery School in New York.
Meghan McGinley Crowe, Executive Director of Literacy for Little Sprouts, Inc., explains that introducing new learning processes through playful activities in which children are intrinsically interested are important. They keep children’s attention and allow them to easily commit learning to long term memory.
“Hands-on, playful learning experiences not only build interest in the subject, but set off a preschoolers experiences in learning as positive, joy filled ones which they will want to continue for years to come,” says Crowe.
Social and Emotional Learning through Play
Play in a classroom leads to real life learning in the area of social and emotional development. Play teaches social interaction skills and enhances responsibilities.
“Pretend play also relates to ability to understand the emotions of others and to take the perspective of the other. We don't know exactly why this is so, but probably because children take many different roles when they play,” says psychologist Sandra Russ [email interview, July 2008].
In playful situations, children learn social skills through play experiences which involve sharing and taking turns, cooperation, listening and negotiation. Children also learn emotional skills like being helpful and kind to others.
Activities that Enhance Social and Emotional Learning
- Role playing activities in a dramatic play area. For example, through playing house, grocery store, or any activity where children take roles, children learn about the emotions and responsibilities of others.
- Providing a wide variety of dolls and action figures which allows children to create social situations
- Storytelling, based on both true-to-life events and fantasy, helps children explore their feelings and social situations.
- Polishing wood pieces. Jan Z. Olsen, OTR (creator of “Get Set for School”, a Pre-K curriculum based on playful learning techniques) recommends this basic activity in which children sit together on the floor to polish, four basic wood pieces. As they do this activity, they naturally learn to talk, trade, pass, and share.
Learning to take follow directions, take turns, cooperation, and activities that involve interaction with others are important for the overall social and emotional growth of young children. By taking advantage of a child’s natural curiosity and passion for learning, preschool teachers and daycare providers can easily incorporate social and emotional learning.
