Play Fosters Intellectual Development
Symbolic Thought
Both Piaget and Vygotsky asserted that play is a major influence in cognitive growth (Curwood, 2007; Hirsh-Pasek & Golinkoff, 2003; Jones & Reynolds, 2011; Zigler et al., 2004). Piaget (1962) maintained that imaginative, pretend play is one of the purest forms of symbolic thought available to the young child.
Vygotsky (1978) also extolled the value of such fantasy play, arguing that during episodes of fantasy and pretend play, when children are free to experiment, attempt, and try out possibilities, they are most able to reach a little above or beyond their usual level of abilities, referred to as their zone of proximal development.
Acquisition of Information and Skills
Play also offers opportunities for the child to acquire information that lays the foundation for additional learning (Cavanaugh, 2008; Curwood, 2007; Elkind, 2007; Jones & Cooper, 2006; Jones & Reynolds, 2011; Montie, Xiang, & Schweinhart, 2007; Ramani & Siegler, 2007; Zigler et al., 2004). Play fosters children’s math, science, and literacy understanding and skills (Cavanaugh, 2008; Elkind, 2007; Jones & Cooper, 2006; Zigler et al., 2004). For example, through manipulating blocks the child learns the concept of equivalence (two small blocks equal one larger one). Through playing with water the child acquires knowledge of volume, which leads ultimately to developing the concept of reversibility (if you reverse an action that has changed something, it will resume its original state).
TEACHER TALK
“So many of the children spend their time in front of the TV when they are home. One of the benefits of my preschool is that they can run around outside to their hearts’ content.”
Acquisition of Information and Skills
Play also offers opportunities for the child to acquire information that lays the foundation for additional learning (Cavanaugh, 2008; Curwood, 2007; Elkind, 2007; Jones & Cooper, 2006; Jones & Reynolds, 2011; Montie, Xiang, & Schweinhart, 2007; Ramani & Siegler, 2007; Zigler et al., 2004). Play fosters children’s math, science, and literacy understanding and skills (Cavanaugh, 2008; Elkind, 2007; Jones & Cooper, 2006; Zigler et al., 2004). For example, through manipulating blocks the child learns the concept of equivalence (two small blocks equal one larger one). Through playing with water the child acquires knowledge of volume, which leads ultimately to developing the concept of reversibility (if you reverse an action that has changed something, it will resume its original state).
Imaginative, pretend play is one of the purest forms of symbolic thought available to the young child.
Language Development
Language has been found to be stimulated when children engage in play (Bergen, 2004; Cavanaugh, 2008; Isenberg & Quisenberry, 2002; Tokarz, 2008). Ramani and Siegler (2007) found that Head Start children’s math abilities improved after they played numerical board games, in part due to the use of “math-related language” that occurs naturally during the games and that is an important precursor to math learning (Cavanaugh, 2008). Riojas-Cortez (2001) found that children’s play in a bilingual classroom helped to extend the children’s use of language experimentation in both languages.