Play and exploration are fundamental to a child's development. It's crucial for teachers to familiarize themselves with the diverse types of play to effectively integrate them into their pedagogy and approach. Providing opportunities for Free Play, Supported Play, and Guided Play is essential, ensuring these play categories are suitably adapted for various age groups in any ECEC (early childhood education and care) environment. Childrens' well-being, engagement, and motivation—as well as their very being are respected.
Let's explore the different types of play and discover ways to make room and time for such an essential and natural activity—allowing a healthy diet of play in our environments. It may seem unnecessary to distinguish the various types of play, but it is important so that we adults can discuss play with a clear and shared understanding of what we mean. In our experience over the years of so many discussions with parents and teachers in different parts of the world, we have noticed that we might be talking about very different things and approaches when we say "play".
This article is merely a set of notes based on our practical work and talks with the teachers with whom we have had the privilege of working internationally. Play is expressed as important by pretty much all the eductors, and most of the parents, we have met, but we also notice that the meaning of the concept varies. This article is one way to start a conversation, by defining what play might mean in our context of the Fun Learning approach.
The Benefits of Free Play
We will start by mentioning the most important and natural form of play. Free play. This is where "child participation" is at its peak, where the child is in the state of flow and definitely leading the process—we might argue this is the highest form of play. There is something so beautiful and natural about free play that we should be respectful of it and make sure we do not disturb such moments of authentic presence and being. Maybe some words about the potential benefits can ensure our respect.
Play should be seen as something that does not need too much interference or looking at from the perspective of objectives. This goes for the child. However, we think it is important for us adults to understand some of the benefits so that we in our reasoning adult minds will allow enough time and space for daily free play to be possible. Some of these benefits our Fun Learning Educator collegaues would like to highlight are:
Holistic Development
Free play supports cognitive, social, emotional, and physical development. It allows children to explore their interests, take risks, and solve problems creatively. This type of play is essential for building resilience, confidence, and independence.
Mental Well-Being
Free play is closely linked to mental well-being. It provides a natural outlet for stress and anxiety, it helps children process emotions, and fosters a sense of joy and freedom. Through play, children learn to identify and manage their feelings, develop empathy, and build social connections, all of which contribute to their overall mental health.
Creativity and Imagination
Free play stimulates a child's creativity and imagination as they invent new games, stories, and worlds. This unstructured time allows children to think outside the box and develop unique solutions to problems.
Social Skills
When children engage in free play with peers, they learn important social skills such as negotiation, cooperation, and conflict resolution. They practice empathy and learn to understand different perspectives.
Emotional Regulation
Free play provides children with a safe space to express their emotions and manage stress. It helps them develop self-control and resilience.
Cognitive Development
Through free play, children explore cause-and-effect relationships, develop critical thinking skills, and enhance their ability to concentrate and sustain attention.
Physical Development
Active free play supports physical health by encouraging movement and exercise, which are essential for developing motor skills and overall physical fitness.
A Holistic Approach to Play and Well-being as Part of Fun Learning
In our previous article on play, we explored the multifaceted nature of play and its vital role in a child's development. Now, we will look a bit closer on this one specific form of play—free play—and its unique benefits, as well as how educators can enrich this experience. We'll also consider the roles of guided and supported play, and how to find a balance between these different types of play to maximize children's development. We'll also briefly touch upon how these forms of play are intrinsically linked to children's mental well-being.
The Essence of Free Play
Free play is characterized by its spontaneity and lack of structured goals. It is driven by the child's interests and imagination, allowing them to explore, create, and discover without specific adult direction. This type of play is crucial for fostering creativity, problem-solving, and emotional resilience. Also out of respect for childhood itself, we must see play as an essential and existential way of simply being a child.
The Role of Educators
While free play is self-directed, educators can play a significant role in enriching this experience without overshadowing the child's autonomy.
Creating an Enriching Environment
Provide Diverse Materials
Offer a variety of materials and resources that encourage exploration and creativity. This can include art supplies, building blocks, costumes, natural elements like sand and water, and loose parts for open-ended play.
Design Inviting Spaces
Create indoor and outdoor spaces that are safe, stimulating, and adaptable. Spaces should invite children to explore and interact with their surroundings in diverse ways.
Observe and Reflect
Teachers should observe children during free play to understand their interests and developmental stages. This information can guide the provision of materials and the design of the play environment.
Supporting Free Play
Facilitate, Don’t Direct. Educators can facilitate free play by asking open-ended questions, offering gentle prompts, and providing support when needed, without taking control of the play. Do not confuse this with guided play that is set up and guided by you with an objective in mind. In free play your role is much more in the background ensring safety thorugh the rich and age appropriately prepared environment and your keen observations.
Encourage Peer Interaction. Promote social play by setting up materials that might encourage group interactions. This helps children develop social skills as they play with each other. Again, here your role is not to direct, but to create opportunities, prepare spaces and dedicate time. Through observation you learn to prepare for the children you have in your group. This part of support is also very crucial when you have an inclusive environment where some of the children need more support in their interactions with others. Children with special needs deserve your guidance and often some additional support.
Balance Safety and Freedom by ensuring the play environment is safe, while allowing children the freedom to take risks and learn from their experiences.
TRUST that the children have intrinsic motivation to develop and learn when allowed the freedom to move and express themselves, to create, to be curious, to play.
The Role of Guided and Supported Play
While free play is essential, guided and supported play also have important roles in a balanced play-based approach.
Guided Play
In guided play, educators set up the play scenario and provide materials, but children can direct the play. This type of play can introduce new concepts and skills within a playful context. This is the most adult-led form of these three types of play we are now talking about. This is the one where you might want to use the prompts and expressions of interest toward a theme or topic that come from your children, but you have a specific learning goal in mind. Here you can use story-based pedagogy and gamification, you can plan a sequence and teach children to understand and follow rules.
You can even share the objectives with the children, helping them understand what they are learning—this is often a way to motivate the children as they do love to learn new skills, and we can clearly see how proud they are of their newly acquired knowledge or skills. We have all witnessed the smiling face and proud posture of a child being rightly proud of something they understand they have learned—sometimes because of the hard work it required, or because they see this skill as something so amazing and worth mastering.
In our respect of play we shall not forget the joy and satisfaction that comes through perseverence, resilience, persistence, and practice—we will discuss this important theme in another article. Play and resilience are, in fact, closely connected and not contradicting concepts. Our wish is that we support our children to want to stay curious and creative, to trust their ability to learn and to be persistant in their endevours. Self-efficay is developed through means of these various forms of play, so lets not shy away from the allowing a child glow of satisfaction for working hard to learn something of interest or importance to them.
A child is creating a sense of how the world works, their role in the world, and practicing to use their senses and abilities, they are constructing and practicing learning skills that will be invaluable in their future. All this happens through play, their very own way of being and becoming.
Benefits
Introduces educational concepts in a fun way.
Helps children make connections between play and learning.
Supports the development of specific skills, such as literacy or numeracy, in an engaging manner.
Develops a trust in the child's own ability to learn.
Example: Setting up a pretend grocery store can help children practice counting, sorting, and social interactions while playing. You can create a story to get the children started, you can also agree on rules for a game/play.
Supported Play
Supported play involves more active participation from the educator, who may be observing free play. They might join in the play to scaffold learning and model behaviors. This is a sensitive area as you must try not to interfere, but you can have a role in enriching the experience and by showing your respect. Children experience your respect for thier actions when you pay attention and add to their experiences. Be careful not to push too much as you want to allow for a lot of free play and the supported play should not become a way of interrupting the flow of play. Learn to distinguish between teachable moments and the valuable state of flow that should not be unnecessarily interrupted.
Benefits
Provides opportunities for direct teaching moments within a play context.
Helps children develop specific social and cognitive skills.
Allows for immediate feedback and encouragement.
Shows the respeect we have for play
Example: During a block-building activity, an educator might join in to help children understand concepts of balance and stability, guiding them to build taller structures. The play itself is self-initiated but your support adds richness to the "resources" in form of vocabulary, and maybe some ideas. This is where you might go wrong, though, if you interfere too much. Be subtle.
Finding the Balance
Balancing free play, guided play, and supported play is crucial for a well-rounded approach to child development.
Recognize the Value of Each Type
Understand that each form of play has unique benefits and that a balanced approach will support all areas of a child's development.
Flexible Integration
Seamlessly integrate different types of play throughout the day. For example, a morning free play session can be followed by a guided play activity that introduces new concepts, with supported play occurring as needed. Be flexible; if free play is flowing, do not interrupt it. Be willing to let the "mess of play" await for the children to return to it after lunch, or the next day. Try to see the mess through the eyes of the children. Your tough duty is to distinguish between a healthy mess of play and an unwanted mess that is overwhelming for the children who are in the age where order is important. Is this confusing? Yes—well—your job is not easy, is it?
Responsive Teaching
Be responsive to the needs and interests of the children. Some days might call for more free play, while others might benefit from guided or supported activities.
Reflect and Adjust
Regularly reflect on the balance of play types and make adjustments based on observations and the evolving needs of the children.
The Connection Between Play and Mental Well-Being
Play is not only crucial for cognitive and physical development but also plays a significant role in children's mental well-being. The freedom and joy that come from play can lead to a more balanced and emotionally healthy child.
Emotional Expression and Stress Relief
Emotional Outlet
Play allows children to express their feelings in a safe and non-judgmental environment. Whether through role-play, storytelling, or physical activity, children can work through their emotions and understand them better.
Stress Reduction
Engaging in play helps reduce stress and anxiety. The release of endorphins during active play, the relaxation that comes with imaginative play, and the satisfaction from creative play all contribute to a child's emotional balance.
Building Resilience and Confidence
Problem-Solving
When children navigate challenges during play, they build resilience. Learning that it's okay to fail and try again fosters a growth mindset.
Self-Esteem
Successfully overcoming obstacles and achieving small victories in play boosts children's confidence and self-esteem.
Social Connections and Support
Peer Relationships
Play is a natural way for children to form friendships and social bonds. These relationships provide emotional support and a sense of belonging.
Empathy and Understanding
Through play, children learn to see things from others' perspectives, fostering empathy and compassion.
Embracing Play in Education
By embracing and thoughtfully integrating free play, supported play, and guided play, educators can create an enriching environment that supports children's growth, development, and overall well-being. Play is not only a fundamental right of every child but also a powerful tool for learning and development. Let children play, explore, and discover, and watch as they thrive in a world where learning is both meaningful and joyful.
The Role of Educators in Enriching Free Play
While free play is child-led and spontaneous, educators play a crucial role in enriching these experiences:
Creating a Play-Friendly Environment
Provide a safe, stimulating, and resource-rich environment where children feel free to explore and play. This includes both indoor and outdoor spaces that encourage diverse types of play.
Observing and Supporting
While children lead their play, educators can observe and step in to support when necessary. This might involve providing materials, suggesting new ideas, or helping children resolve conflicts.
Balancing Play Types
While free play is fundamental, guided and supported play also have their roles. Guided play involves more structure and adult direction, helping children learn specific skills or concepts. Supported play is a blend, where adults participate in play without taking over, helping scaffold children's learning and social interactions.
Integrating the Different Types of Play
Just as a balanced diet or comprehensive curriculum is essential for a child's overall development, integrating different types of play is crucial. Each type of play develops specific skills, and by incorporating a variety of play experiences, children can benefit from a holistic learning approach. This promotes their overall well-being, multi-sensory learning, psychosocial development, as well as the development of a wide range of skills.
Embracing Play
Play is not just an activity; it is a way of being for a child. It is their natural and built-in method of developing, learning, being and creating the person they will become. Play is a way through which they explore their world, test ideas, and develop skills that form the foundation of lifelong learning, a way to develop life skills naturally. By recognizing that play is not merely a break from learning but a vital component of it, educators and parents can support children's natural drive to play. In doing so, we honor the child's perspective and foster a love of learning that will last a lifetime.
Play is not merely an activity; it is a fundamental right and an essential part of childhood that nurtures holistic development and well-being.
References
American Academy of Pediatrics, Committee on Communications, & Committee on Psychosocial Aspects of Child and Family Health. (2007). The importance of play in promoting healthy child development and maintaining strong parent-child bonds. Pediatrics, 119(1), 182-191.
Ginsburg, K. R., & Committee on Communications, & Committee on Psychosocial Aspects of Child and Family Health. (2007). The importance of play in promoting healthy child development and maintaining strong parent-child bonds. Pediatrics, 119(1), 182-191.
Vygotsky, L. S. (1978). Mind in society: The development of higher psychological processes. Harvard University Press.
Piaget, J. (1962). Play, dreams and imitation in childhood. Norton.
Gray, P. (2013). Free to learn: Why unleashing the instinct to play will make our children happier, more self-reliant, and better students for life. Basic Books.
Brown, S. (2009). Play: How it shapes the brain, opens the imagination, and invigorates the soul. Avery.
Elkind, D. (2007). The power of play: Learning what comes naturally. Da Capo Press.
Pellegrini, A. D. (2009). The role of play in human development. Oxford University Press.
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