Why is Play important?
Play is very important for all children because children learn through play. There are skills such as fine motor skills, gross motor skills, social skills, self-esteem, sharing, and patients that develop from a child who plays. There are many forms of play that help develop the skills mentioned before: art, dramatic play, and also playing outdoors.
Arts
Art allows children to become creative and to think outside the box. By being creative, children use different materials in new innovative ways to produce art work. An example is using popsicle sticks to build a house by gluing pieces together. Generally a person would just throw the sticks away but here, children find it useful for other things.
Art also allows a child to problem solve when making pictures, have confidence by being proud of one's master piece, perseverance by practicing a new skill such as drawing a person, dedication, responsibility when collaborating with other children, focus, independence and the list goes on and on. Art in all, is simply amazing to have in a child's everyday life!
|
Dramatic Play
Dramatic play benefits a child physically, cognitively, socially and emotionally. In the physicality of dramatic play, a child is able to move around and use their stored up energy in a productive way by learning new skills; how to take turns, share and buy food at the grocery store. Cognotovely, a child uses dramatic play when dealing with issues such as sharing; here a child is able to problem solve and deal with the situation by playing in a positive manor. Socially, a child is more confident and comfortable to play with others in dramatic play because they are given the opportunity to interact with peers and classmates like them more often.
Dramatic play benefits a child physically, cognitively, socially and emotionally. In the physicality of dramatic play, a child is able to move around and use their stored up energy in a productive way by learning new skills; how to take turns, share and buy food at the grocery store. Cognotovely, a child uses dramatic play when dealing with issues such as sharing; here a child is able to problem solve and deal with the situation by playing in a positive manor. Socially, a child is more confident and comfortable to play with others in dramatic play because they are given the opportunity to interact with peers and classmates like them more often.
Outdoor Play
Now a days, outdoor play is getting lost because of all the latest technology such as computers, iPads, Wii, television, DSI and so much more things that children love to do indoors. Outdoor play is very important because children gain learning physical skills such as running, jumping, and other activities that coluldn't be done indoors. In activities such as water play or sand play, kids are pouring sand back and forth into containers of different sizes, shapes, and volumes so they see that “this much water or sand fits into this container” which they can learn from. Outdoor play is less structured, so it naturally gives children more opportunity for discovery. It gives them a sense of freedom, because adults allow them to do more outside and allow kids to run and play with more energy and enthusiasm.
Now a days, outdoor play is getting lost because of all the latest technology such as computers, iPads, Wii, television, DSI and so much more things that children love to do indoors. Outdoor play is very important because children gain learning physical skills such as running, jumping, and other activities that coluldn't be done indoors. In activities such as water play or sand play, kids are pouring sand back and forth into containers of different sizes, shapes, and volumes so they see that “this much water or sand fits into this container” which they can learn from. Outdoor play is less structured, so it naturally gives children more opportunity for discovery. It gives them a sense of freedom, because adults allow them to do more outside and allow kids to run and play with more energy and enthusiasm.
Resources:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/answer-sheet/wp/2013/01/22/top-10-skills-children-learn-from-the-arts/
http://www.pbs.org/teachers/earlychildhood/articles/dramaticplay.html
http://www.google.com/search?q=arts&hl=en&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ei=Tfd_UerpNunA0gHwh4CIDw&ved=0CAcQ_AUoAQ&biw=944&bih=952#hl=en&tbm=isch&sa=1&q=children+drawing&oq=children+drawing&gs_l=img.3..0l10.4594.10059.0.10241.20.14.2.4.4.0.172.928.12j2.14.0...0.0...1c.1.11.img.WJ7H9v-YhhY&fp=1&biw=944&bih=952&bav=on.2,or.r_qf.&cad=b&imgrc=x5T01v2_e0O0vM%3A%3B475%3B310
http://aplaceofourown.org/question_detail.php?id=209
http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/answer-sheet/wp/2013/01/22/top-10-skills-children-learn-from-the-arts/
http://www.pbs.org/teachers/earlychildhood/articles/dramaticplay.html
http://www.google.com/search?q=arts&hl=en&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ei=Tfd_UerpNunA0gHwh4CIDw&ved=0CAcQ_AUoAQ&biw=944&bih=952#hl=en&tbm=isch&sa=1&q=children+drawing&oq=children+drawing&gs_l=img.3..0l10.4594.10059.0.10241.20.14.2.4.4.0.172.928.12j2.14.0...0.0...1c.1.11.img.WJ7H9v-YhhY&fp=1&biw=944&bih=952&bav=on.2,or.r_qf.&cad=b&imgrc=x5T01v2_e0O0vM%3A%3B475%3B310
http://aplaceofourown.org/question_detail.php?id=209