Introduction Before you read my article, please invest 10 minutes of your time by clicking on the link below and watching this ‘feel good factor’ video clip of a budding entrepreneur. I guarantee that it will warm the cockles of your heart and make you smile all day! I do not usually make a habit of starting my articles with a web link to a short video clip; however, as this budding genius of a little boy, Caine, illustrates so beautifully the benefits of learning and exploring through play, I just had to! This could be the shortest article I have ever written because he says it all for me really… Caine's Arcade I hope you liked it? Although he is a little older than children in the EYFS, the underlying key principles for effective learning through play are the same. What learning does Caine demonstrate? Doesn’t he illustrate deep engagement and child-initiated learning through play so well? Not to mention more great ideas of what you can do with a cardboard box! His cardboard box arcade shows that he’s engaging in an activity that’s completely meaningful and relevant to him therefore demonstrating an endless supply of drive motivation and patience even when he only has one customer. You can easily see just how much he is learning from this short clip when studying the requirements of the revised EYFS on page 6 under ‘Characteristics of Effective Learning’ Unique Child - Playing and Exploring and so much more: Finding out and exploring Showing curiosity about objects, events and people Using senses to explore the world around them Engaging in open-ended activity showing particular interests Playing with what they know Pretending objects are things from their experience Representing their experiences in play Taking on a role in their play Acting out experiences with other people Being willing to 'have a go' Initiating activities Seeking challenge Showing a 'can do' attitude Taking a risk, engaging in new experiences, and learning by trial and error He has enormous pride in what he is doing [even before he declares at the end of the video that he felt very proud that everyone came to play his games] and has such self worth, esteem and confidence with a supportive dad behind him as he makes new games overcomes challenges and never lets boredom set in. His dad whilst supervising from a distance allows a him a good degree of freedom so that Caine is in complete control of what he’s doing, demonstrating a ‘can do’ attitude whilst learning about problem solving/seeking challenge e.g. [when his dad asks him to make a claw for his ‘hook a toy’ game because he won’t buy him one]; risk taking both physical and emotional [using scissors to manipulate a tough material like cardboard and wondering if he’ll have any customers]. He is successfully representing his own experiences in and through his play not only for himself but for others to enjoy. All areas of communication and language are met as he communicates to others about what he’s doing, why and the rules of each game; he reads and writes for a purpose - signs and labels for his games etc.; he engages in mathematics in his use of calculators, measuring and assessing the difficulty of his games by awarding a star rating, tickets and counting goals/scores of games handles money etc.; physical development is supported when making and playing the games [cutting sticking throwing rolling moving in and out of the boxes to deliver the tickets etc.]; he develops his understanding of the world in terms of recycling boxes, working/playing alongside his father’s business developing his own small scale business, meeting different people, having the media attention and new customers from around the world facebook/ICT etc.; and in expressive arts and design, Caine made his own arcade from cardboard boxes expressing himself through his likes and interests and designing from scratch by recycling a free resource. So we can easily see how free-play is cross-curricular, cleverly weaving through all subjects and skills from emergent reading and writing to learning patience, resilience and persistence. Literal, linguistic, cognitive and communicative faculties are practised in self-directed activities and experiences. Left to their own devices children are naturally faced with challenges and problems that need overcoming, a good deal of grappling with or simply fixing in one way or another. In this, the process really is more important than the end product because like any young baby animal in the animal kingdom, children also learn some of their most important lessons through play as they practise, rehearse, test things out, develop their physical control and co-ordination, make discoveries and take risks. It is the lack of certainty about play, and that it cannot be controlled, which can worry many practitioners and parents especially when the learning is subtle and cannot always be clearly defined, seen or recorded in some way. Evidence on tape, paper, video or photo is not always evidence of learning. A knowledgeable, experienced and confident practitioner can expose the limitations of paper-based exercises for young children when the pressure is on for these forms of evidence from ‘the powers that be’ or from parents. It is better to form positive relationships that allow shared observations and open conversations about transparent practise, to deepen everyone’s understanding of the non-tangible, more subtle and sometimes quite hidden aspects of play and the high value of it. For example, children can demonstrate much more sophisticated levels of understanding of number and quantity in role-play when calculating what is needed for a ‘feast at the palace’ than they will ever do agonising over a worksheet because in play, children totally get the point of what they are doing, thinking about, talking about and can appreciate the thrill of stretching themselves to the limits of their abilities. Unfortunately this is not always the case when they are asked to complete an adult-directed task because these are rarely open-ended as play more naturally is. So why is play so important for learning? Play is a very complex thing; answering this question requires much research to be drawn upon and various theories need to be referred to. Firstly I would like to say that it’s a very natural vehicle for all of us because we have all experienced it and hopefully still do – even if we pretend it’s not and call it grown up things like buying a new car with additional features like an inbuilt sat-nav, laptop, kindle, I pad, app or a new piece of software. How much new technology is designed in such a way that we learn how to use it intuitively through playing around with it such as the latest mobile phone? Research tells us loud and clear that children who start their formal schooling later on, generally achieve more academically having had an early years experience that’s been playful and meaningful to them, thus giving them a more solid foundation from which to build on all future learning. Surely play is important enough to safeguard right through the education system? Did you know that it was Froebel [1782-1852] who took the natural play of children and gave it educational status followed by Rudolph Steiner [1861-1925]? Froebel’s theory is also known as the ‘romantic argument’ where it is acknowledged that play is part of every child’s nature and that children are at their happiest whilst playing. Therefore their capacity for learning is greater in contrast to Skinner’s theory [my least favourite], which uses play as a reward because this ‘behaviourist argument’ suggests children only deserve to play after learning. However when one reads ‘Article 31 of the convention on the Rights of the Child’ which states that: Parties recognise the right of the child to rest and leisure, to engage in play and recreational activities appropriate to the age of the child and to participate freely in cultural life and the life of the arts. Parties shall respect and promote the right of the child to participate fully in cultural and artistic life and shall encourage he provision of appropriate and equal opportunities for cultural, artistic, recreational and leisure activity, you can see how flawed the behaviourist argument is. Then there is the ‘biological argument’ where play is seen as a biological function and scientists and psychologists suggest that play supports the development of creativity and imagination which is seen as essential to the development of the brain in that it helps the brain to become more flexible and adaptable. Maria Ghua puts forward the ‘economic argument’ and says that learning will be more effective if we use relevant approaches; having taken all other arguments into account, it simply makes economic sense to support play. Ideas closely linked to Piaget and Vygotsky surround the ‘cognitive argument’ and emphasise the contribution of problem solving, communication, social rules/boundaries and creativity; current developmental psychology and neuroscience underlines this argument. I remember studying Vygotsky at university and one of my favourite quotes of his [that I chose to use in an essay to illustrate children’s confidence building whilst playing], was that when children were at play, they were ‘a head taller than themselves’! Finally there is the ‘therapeutic argument’ where Freud and the psychoanalytical theories of similar authorities put forward ideas such as children can work through challenging issues through play and that play helps children to deal with fears and anxieties, helps develop empathy and compassion for others, and helps regulate one’s own emotions. In her book, Learning Through Play: For Babies, Toddlers and Young Children, Tina Bruce refers to ‘free-flow play’ which is a term that is misunderstood and watered down significantly by some who simply think that it means children moving freely around the setting both inside and/or outside. It is actually so much more than this and is a very loaded term which I will try and unpack a little now. Tina Bruce draws on a wealth of research and theories surrounding play and identifies 12 key features which, when they co-ordinate, allows play to develop a ‘free-flowing character’. It is these particular 12 features Tina Bruce identifies that are central to play and are named ‘free flow play’. They are; Children draw upon and bring their own first hand experiences into their play and the richer these are, in general, the richer the quality of their play tends to be. Through their play children reveal to us what they know and understand about many different rules such as social greetings and partings, fairness, singing games, stories and various boundaries. When they play, children are in control and can often be seen and heard making their own rules. Props are an important part of children’s play – dens are made with cardboard boxes, representational play where twigs are turned into pencils, swords or light savers and fabrics are turned into wedding dresses, bed sheets or invisibility cloaks! Open –ended props help develop children’s creativity and imagination. Play is not something that can be forced upon children because you have to be in the right frame of mind and mood to play therefore it is not something that will fit into tight timetables. Children need time and space to be safeguarded for them so that their play can develop and flourish. Escapism from the here and now is a central aspect of play where children can be free to transform their past or shape their future to their liking, experiment with situations, reflect, rearrange, create alternatives, deal with things differently. They can develop resilience through recapturing past pleasures, joys or manager to come to terms with pain all the while holding onto what they treasure in the sheer glee and enjoyment of play. Children pretend when they play managing to move from the literal to the more abstract. They can move from being like themselves or others into being the character or story they make up. Playing alone is an important part of getting to know yourself, others and your place in the universe [according to Froebel] and getting to know and feel the difference between being alone and feeling lonely. Getting to know yourself through personal space is an important aspect of education especially in today’s society making reflective and thoughtful action increasingly difficult. Children love to mirror and imitate each other as they play or enjoy each other’s companionship without directly interacting and engaging with one another – simply enjoying closeness. Children who can develop their play with a great depth will vary the nature of their play sometimes playing alone, in parallel companionship or co-operatively. Adults need to be careful not to invade such play but wait and watch as children do, possibly being invited to join in with a particular role and always understanding that their play agenda is no more important than others who are participating. Being deeply engaged in their play and learning is a recognised indicator of well-being and an indicator fore success in the school system. Children who play well and are deeply involved or engrossed in their play are developing high level concentration skills appropriately. Application of learning is incredibly important. Play is a powerful tool that practitioners can use to identify children not only learning new things but testing, sharing and applying acquired knowledge in various different ways. Play takes children up to their highest forms of learning and is a resource that remains deep inside the maturing child. It encourages adult creativity, problem-solving and imagination, dispositions that are conducive to the development of future learning. It celebrates the inextricably interconnected and holistic nature of learning rather than compartmentalised jigsaw type subject based knowledge/skills. What is our role in supporting children playing, exploring and being engaged? We need to play with children and tap into that ‘youngness of heart’ they help us to hold onto as we work and play alongside them. When we show and share our own interests and passions for things we know and love, children will benefit from that infectious enthusiasm demonstrating delight in discovering new things from the ‘old hands’ that have introduced them to these. Without taking over, directing or dictating practitioners should facilitate playful experiences being ready and willing or on hand to help as and when needed, taking their lead from the children. When we do as children do, watch and wait for an invitation to join in the play, this can be incredibly rewarding as we are given our role and asked to make suggestions; what a privilege it is to be allowed to fit in with their ideas as we observe and play seeking windows of opportunities to take note of any learning that’s applied, discovered and demonstrated. We need to be good role models at all times, encouraging children and demonstrating things using words, body language, new and old resources, everyday materials of all kinds in our play, constantly being aware and behaving in a way that totally prioritises the importance of the process and not the end products. Openly discuss how adults, animals, children and babies etc. get better at things with time, effort and practice and value the learning opportunities that present themselves when things go wrong. Enjoy mistakes and accidents, having a giggle and demonstrating that there is nothing to be ashamed of in making mistakes, nothing to fear - only opportunities to grow, learn, hone new skills, teaching yourself and others along the wonderful learning journey together. We need to be aware of issues that affect play, reflect on these, and audit our environment so that we can make it as enabling as possible to facilitate and welcome the ever evolving play experiences. Is there adequate and frequent access to high quality indoor/outdoor spaces? Are there open ended resources that children can use in a variety of ways to suit the purposes of their play whilst helping to develop imagination and creativity? How much do we know about identifying and supporting schemas in children’s play? Are our resources relevant to the children’s interests? Can children move around freely, build, climb, hop, skip and jump, throw, relax, be calm and quiet or alone if they choose? Do we set up new, challenging and irresistibly playful experiences and activities that children can’t help but be stimulated by and engaged with for sustained periods of time? How can we better provide long periods of uninterrupted play, or get alongside children to scaffold and develop sustained shared thinking? I would like to finish with a tribute to one of my parents in years gone by who I’ll never forget writing and saying at the end of her son’s reception class year with me, “Thank you so much Mrs. Horvath, not just for everything you have done but for stepping back and ‘not doing’ (if you know what I mean) - and allowing my son to ‘simply be’. He has so much pressure on him being the youngest in a family of many high achievers, I know he’s gifted, talented and excels in most things, but he’s been able to relax, be himself and ‘simply be’ in your class and we value that so much as parents.” Isn’t that an increasingly hard thing to protect and ‘do’ in our setting nowadays – really give children the time and space to ‘simply be’? Especially when the new Ofsted framework criteria now states that to receive a judgement of ‘Good’ during a lesson observation, 80% of children must make measurable progress in the lesson. We feel the pressure left, right and centre to make sure children are seen to be achieving and making progress but isn’t progress sometimes just being allowed to stand still and take it all in or regress a few steps to reinforce and consolidate learning, in readiness for that next leap forward? The learning curve is complex and rarely ever on a smooth trajectory; we all know there are ups and downs for whatever reason in all our learning journeys so please do not be afraid to simply ‘let children be’ in their play and explorations because sometimes we need to take 2 or 3 steps back before we can take 5 forward. References Bruce, T (2001) Learning Through Play: For Babies, Toddlers and Young Children
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