education

The Blue Swatch of Cloth   It was a simple thing really; just a one-yard long swatch of blue cloth left over from some long- forgotten home improvement project. I stuck it in my book bag. I figured I would find some use for it at preschool. It lay forgotten in the school bag for […]

The Blue Swatch of Cloth The Blue Swatch of Cloth   It was a simple thing really; just a one-yard long swatch of blue cloth left over from some long- forgotten home improvement project. I stuck it in my book bag. I figured I would find some use for it at preschool. It lay forgotten

Symbolic and Dramatic Play The basis for dramatic play is children’s ability to engage in symbolic play. As we have seen earlier, this ability typically begins in late infancy when babies pretend that one familiar object is something else, a wooden spoon for a baby bottle, perhaps. As they get older, these abilities increase. For

Three Types of Play Common to Center and School s we have seen, play holds a host of benefits for young children across the cognitive, psychological, and physical domains of development. In the words of James A   L. Hymes, “Play that is beneficial to children is play that is active, creative, and social, engaging

Cognitive and Language Benefits Provided by Play Play has a way of translating children’s thoughts into actions—and their actions into thoughts. Children gain experience traveling between tangible encounters and mental representations of those encounters. Sometimes the thoughts (mental representations) precede the actions (play); and sometimes the actions (play) contribute to their understanding of objects and

Play as a Vehicle for Discovery and Learning From infancy onward, humans learn about their world through making its objects their toys. In doing so, they develop their cognitive capacity along with physical, emotional, and social understanding. Accepting play as an appropriate avenue for cognitive school- or center-based learning has been a recurring theme throughout

Play as a Creative Medium That Promotes Cognitive Development     This scene from “Bridge to Terabithia,” shows how make-believe play stimulates creativity and evolves into a spectacular realm of fantasy and role playing.   Buena Vista Pictures/Everett Collection The concept of play as a creative medium has been expressed by both classical and modern

Play as Support for Development of Both Body and Brain Many aspects of play are known to improve cognition and memory. For example, motor movements, such as those associated with physical play involving the large muscles, release brain chemicals that energize the body and the brain, and also improve mood (Jensen, 2005). Therefore, motor activities

Theories That Focus on Cognitive and Language Development Play as Support for Development of Both Body and Brain Many aspects of play are known to improve cognition and memory. For example, motor movements, such as those associated with physical play involving the large muscles, release brain chemicals that energize the body and the brain, and

Psychological Benefits Provided by Play Freud suggested that play provides a natural mode for emotional healing. Because play episodes can be reenacted without fear of real-life consequences, children are able to test alternative responses and develop plans for coping with stressful or hurtful realities. Through the fantasy of play, children are able to stand powerful