In chapters 4-6, Lascarides & Hinitz (2000) discussed several theorists who developed or influenced early childhood programs in the United States. What were these theorists' views on the importance or the role of play in a child's life?
Dimensions of play occur throughout various early childhood programs. Educators do not always agree on the type of play that young children should engage in during preschool. Ailwood (2003) writes, “few authors writing about play would be brave enough to profess to a final definition of play. It seems play is an elusive concept that has refused to be pinned down” (p. 283). In chapters 4-6, Lascarides & Hinitz (2000), indicate the viewpoints of Froebel, Owen, McMillan, Piaget, and Montessori as they relate to play in early childhood.
The text suggests that Froebel believed play helped children gain access to the adult world in a developmentally appropriate way. For children to make meaning from these play experiences, these activities need to come from the child’s mind or what Froebel called “self-activity”. Parents and teachers can help children by creating an environment that encourages the child to engage in safe explorations.
Froebel created gifts to help children to create these meaningful play experiences. “The child used the gifts in his play and thus was introduced to concepts of the larger world” (Lascarides & Hinitz, 2000, p. 100). Each gift built on the knowledge the child gained from the previous gifts. At first, the mother would introduce these tools to the child and later this responsibility fell to the teacher. Froebel made these gifts and had friends and family test out the materials to determine how his ideas worked with various children. His gifts included items such as, “three dimensional objects, to flat surfaces, to sticks, to the point” (Lascarides & Hinitz, 2000, p. 101).
Since Grace Owen studied Froebel’s ideas, it is no surprise that her view relating to play is similar to Froebel. According to Lascarides & Hinitz (2000), Owen believed that young children should engage in play that was not directed by the teacher and that, the teacher should “encourage the child’s spontaneous self-expression and individuality” (p. 118). Her colleague and co-founder of the Nursery School Association, Margaret McMillan also believed in free play.
Unlike the other prominent figures mentioned in this section of the text, Piaget focused his ideas on play as it related to a child’s cognitive development. For example, Piaget believed that children in the preoperational stage engage in pretend play and are not capable of playing games with rules until the later part of this stage because of their lack of logical reasoning. According to Lascarides & Hinitz (2000), Piaget believed that “the basis for self-initiated activity from which the young child constructs characteristics of acting and thinking” (p. 129).
Maria Montessori views on play vary greatly from the previous theorists. Montessori was not a proponent of play in early childhood programs. “She believed that play and make-believe are an escape from reality unsuitable to the child” (Lascarides & Hinitz, 2000, p. 153). Instead, Montessori thought it was important to create a classroom environment where children could participate in choosing appropriate activities or work. Like Froebel, Montessori created curriculum materials however; these tools helped the children complete this work instead of facilitating play experiences.
Similar to today’s educators, these five theorists did not all agree on the role of play in the early childhood classroom. Froebel, Owen, and McMillan believed in a form of play that allowed children to create experiences for themselves. Piaget viewed play in terms of a child’s cognitive development. While Montessori, indicated that play was not an appropriate activity for the young child to engage in and should focus on “real work”.
Reference
Ailwood, J. (2003). Governing early childhood education through play. Contemporary Issues in Early Childhood 4(1), 286-299.
"We live in a society that tends to view play as an opportunity for commercial exploitation, as a nuisance or as a non-serious activity" (McArdle, 2001, p. 512)
Piaget saw play as universal and research (Bornstein et. al, 1999) has suggested the development of play across cultures is similar. Bornstein also suggested parenting practices, gender, and temperament influence how children play. An adults support for play is seen as a requirement for normal development (McArdle, 2001). Piaget called play "ludic symbolism" meaning without purpose" but not in the context one might think. He suggested play was for pleasure, and even today many parents and caregivers are not aware of the value of play in personality development as suggested by McArdle.
Play is important for social bonds with peers and the tools of play such as the gifts of Frobel and materials of Montessori were facilitated for difference purposes. Froebel, Owen, and McMillan's view of play suggested a means for children to discover, explore and imagine. The outcomes of free play may result in more creativity rather than play as "real work" suggested by Montessori.
Further, McArdle suggested, "children’s play may be essential for normal development and as fundamental as good parenting, and perhaps more so for personality development than formal education" (p. 514).
On a sidenote to play, I think it's interesting to trace the evolution of toys as they relate to play and how these tools of play have influenced child development over the years. For example, many of the gifts of Froebel can be seen in the Battelle Developmental inventory and in early childhood classrooms across the U. S. there seem to be certain materials or "gifts" similar across many cultures and ones which have not changed in hundreds of years. However, we have seen the substantial growth in electronic toys and their influence on play.
McArdle, P. (2001). Children's play. Child:Care, Health, and Development, 27(6), 509-514.
I appreciated your perspective on play. In addition, your comment about looking at toys from the past intrigued me. I think looking at these artifacts can give insight into a culture's views on childhood and education.
3 comments:
Play
Dimensions of play occur throughout various early childhood programs. Educators do not always agree on the type of play that young children should engage in during preschool. Ailwood (2003) writes, “few authors writing about play would be brave enough to profess to a final definition of play. It seems play is an elusive concept that has refused to be pinned down” (p. 283). In chapters 4-6, Lascarides & Hinitz (2000), indicate the viewpoints of Froebel, Owen, McMillan, Piaget, and Montessori as they relate to play in early childhood.
The text suggests that Froebel believed play helped children gain access to the adult world in a developmentally appropriate way. For children to make meaning from these play experiences, these activities need to come from the child’s mind or what Froebel called “self-activity”. Parents and teachers can help children by creating an environment that encourages the child to engage in safe explorations.
Froebel created gifts to help children to create these meaningful play experiences. “The child used the gifts in his play and thus was introduced to concepts of the larger world” (Lascarides & Hinitz, 2000, p. 100). Each gift built on the knowledge the child gained from the previous gifts. At first, the mother would introduce these tools to the child and later this responsibility fell to the teacher. Froebel made these gifts and had friends and family test out the materials to determine how his ideas worked with various children. His gifts included items such as, “three dimensional objects, to flat surfaces, to sticks, to the point” (Lascarides & Hinitz, 2000, p. 101).
Since Grace Owen studied Froebel’s ideas, it is no surprise that her view relating to play is similar to Froebel. According to Lascarides & Hinitz (2000), Owen believed that young children should engage in play that was not directed by the teacher and that, the teacher should “encourage the child’s spontaneous self-expression and individuality” (p. 118). Her colleague and co-founder of the Nursery School Association, Margaret McMillan also believed in free play.
Unlike the other prominent figures mentioned in this section of the text, Piaget focused his ideas on play as it related to a child’s cognitive development. For example, Piaget believed that children in the preoperational stage engage in pretend play and are not capable of playing games with rules until the later part of this stage because of their lack of logical reasoning. According to Lascarides & Hinitz (2000), Piaget believed that “the basis for self-initiated activity from which the young child constructs characteristics of acting and thinking” (p. 129).
Maria Montessori views on play vary greatly from the previous theorists. Montessori was not a proponent of play in early childhood programs. “She believed that play and make-believe are an escape from reality unsuitable to the child” (Lascarides & Hinitz, 2000, p. 153). Instead, Montessori thought it was important to create a classroom environment where children could participate in choosing appropriate activities or work. Like Froebel, Montessori created curriculum materials however; these tools helped the children complete this work instead of facilitating play experiences.
Similar to today’s educators, these five theorists did not all agree on the role of play in the early childhood classroom. Froebel, Owen, and McMillan believed in a form of play that allowed children to create experiences for themselves. Piaget viewed play in terms of a child’s cognitive development. While Montessori, indicated that play was not an appropriate activity for the young child to engage in and should focus on “real work”.
Reference
Ailwood, J. (2003). Governing early childhood education through play. Contemporary
Issues in Early Childhood 4(1), 286-299.
The significance of children's play
"We live in a society that tends to view play as an opportunity for commercial exploitation, as a nuisance or as a non-serious activity" (McArdle, 2001, p. 512)
Piaget saw play as universal and research (Bornstein et. al, 1999) has suggested the development of play across cultures is similar. Bornstein also suggested parenting practices, gender, and temperament influence how children play. An adults support for play is seen as a requirement for normal development (McArdle, 2001). Piaget called play "ludic symbolism" meaning without purpose" but not in the context one might think. He suggested play was for pleasure, and even today many parents and caregivers are not aware of the value of play in personality development as suggested by McArdle.
Play is important for social bonds with peers and the tools of play such as the gifts of Frobel and materials of Montessori were facilitated for difference purposes. Froebel, Owen, and McMillan's view of play suggested a means for children to discover, explore and imagine. The outcomes of free play may result in more creativity rather than play as "real work" suggested by Montessori.
Further, McArdle suggested, "children’s play may be essential for normal development and as fundamental as good parenting, and perhaps more so for personality development than formal education" (p. 514).
On a sidenote to play, I think it's interesting to trace the evolution of toys as they relate to play and how these tools of play have influenced child development over the years. For example, many of the gifts of Froebel can be seen in the Battelle Developmental inventory and in early childhood classrooms across the U. S. there seem to be certain materials or "gifts" similar across many cultures and ones which have not changed in hundreds of years. However, we have seen the substantial growth in electronic toys and their influence on play.
McArdle, P. (2001). Children's play. Child:Care, Health, and Development, 27(6), 509-514.
Technohound-
I appreciated your perspective on play. In addition, your comment about looking at toys from the past intrigued me. I think looking at these artifacts can give insight into a culture's views on childhood and education.
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