Learning through play: how it shapes child development
Learning through play: how it shapes child development
Learning through play: how it shapes child development
September 21, 2023
Summary
Science has confirmed that combining play with learning enhances its effectiveness and enjoyment, challenging traditional beliefs about education.
Play is a powerful tool for academic, social, emotional, and physical development in children.
Play-based and nature-focused education centers are on the rise, making education enjoyable, accessible, and fostering cognitive development.
Benefits of Play-Based Learning:
Play promotes physical development, creativity, and mental well-being.
It improves social development, social skills, and resilience through interactive activities.
Playtime with peers is crucial for social development, teaching turn-taking, conflict resolution, and leadership skills.
Play fosters relationships, creates lasting memories, and contributes to childhood resilience.
Physical play instills confidence through goal-setting and achievement, even in the face of setbacks.
Play can integrate learning into enjoyable activities like skipping or playing football, incorporating counting and goal-setting.
Play-based learning is especially beneficial for neurodivergent children, supporting cognitive and social skill development in a less intimidating environment.
Parents can integrate play into daily routines, making activities like bath time and cooking educational and enjoyable.
Encourages a balance between structured and unstructured playtime, allowing children to explore creativity and collaboration.
Emphasizes the importance of letting the child take the lead and adapting to their chosen path.
Provides creative activity suggestions, including sensory buckets, scavenger hunts, and music sets, to assist in child development.
Recommends exploring in-person opportunities like local library programs and sensory-based classes.
Despite challenges in valuing playtime, experts emphasize its crucial role in physical, mental, social, and emotional growth, advocating for its use as a potent tool for child development, not just as a reward.
Reference
Learning through play: how it shapes child development. (2023, 21 September). Care.com. https://www.care.com/c/en-ca/learning-through-play-how-it-shapes-child-development/