PLAY
the importance of it and types
Play is a child’s WORK, the most important
work they will ever do.
 Adult’s work is WORK
 Student’s work is SCHOOL
 Child’s work is PLAY and they do it all day long!
 Think of play as a study break from learning, but they continue
learning.
1. Play is important because…
 It is how children learn, grow, and develop.
 enhances creativity
 they learn about themselves, others,
and their world
 builds confidence
 releases energy
 builds initiative and autonomy
(Erikson)
PLAY develops the
5 basic areas of Growth and Development:
 Physical:
 Gross/fine motor skills, speed, strength,
coordination
 Emotional
 Handle feelings, fears, how to express
emotions, and other’s emotions
 Social
 Acceptable social behavior, understand
cooperation
 Cognitive
 How things work, problem solving, reasoning,
and practice mental skills
 Moral
 Honesty, rules, consideration, respect
Decide which area of development each activity
would enhance. More than one can apply.
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______ Puzzles
______ Painting
______ Tricycle
______ Acting out Stories
______ Playground Equipment
_____ Play kitchen
______ Matching picture cards
______ Candyland game
______Books
______Trucks / Cars
______Dolls
______Ball
 C = cognitive
 S = social
 P = physical
 E = emotional
 M = moral
2. Areas of Play (social classifications)
 Solitary Play
 Onlooker Play
 Parallel Play
 Associative Play
 Preschool
 Cooperative Play
 Preschool
 Unoccupied Behavior
 1. UNOCCUPIED BEHAVIOR: The child is not involved in any particular activity.
He/she just observes what seems interesting at the time. When nothing of interest is
happening, he/she will walk around, look around, or play with his/her fingers, hair,
etc. The child often appears to be day dreaming.
 2. ONLOOKER BEHAVIOR: This behavior involves watching other children play.
The child may talk to the children whoa re playing but does not become actively
involved. The onlooker wants to be close enough to interact with the children who
are playing whereas the unoccupied child’s interest keeps shifting to anything that
interests him/her at the moment. (TODDLERS)
 3. SOLITARY PLAY: This type of play involves a child playing alone. He/she has no
interest in anyone else or that they are doing. The toys he/she plays with are
different from those the other children are playing with. He/she is totally involved
in a personal activity. (INFANTS)
 4. PARALLEL PLAY: This type of play involves a child playing beside other children.
There is no actual interaction, but the toys are similar. The child is playing beside
the other children rather than with them. (2-3 YEARS)
 5. ASSOCIATIVE PLAY: This type of play involves a child playing with other
children. The children share toys and interact with one another. Children are
involved in similar but not identical activity. There is no specific organization of
activities. Each child does what he/she wishes but is a part of a large group. (3 YEAR
– SCHOOL AGE)
 6. COOPERATIVE PLAY: This type of play involves organization. The child is a part
of a group that has a specific purpose in mind such as making an art project or
playing a game. There are usually leaders and followers in this type of play.
3. Types of Play
Active / Rough and Tumble
 -This looks like fighting, but it is a great release of
energy and builds physical and social skills.
 -sports, play sword fight, wrestle, chase, playground
Sensory Motor
 -Using senses and motor
skills to learn.
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If they use all 5 senses at the
same time, they will learn
best.
 -Play dough, sand, finger
paint, listening activities
Dramatic / Make-believe/ Pretend
 -Situations that teach real life and allow a child to
express themselves and their emotions
 -Playing dress-up, house, doctor, store, etc…
Manipulative
 -Using objects to learn with – best way to learn.
 -Math block, blocks, chain links, dice, foam shapes
Skill Mastery / Creative
 -Learning a new skill so repeating it over and over.
 They see the progress as they master this new skill
and it build self-confidence and self-esteem.
 -Cutting, video games, jump rope, soccer
Passive
 -Having no interaction
with others. All children
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need this, but keep it
limited.
 -Watching TV, reading,
computer, video games,
Daydreaming, musical
instrument, coloring….
4. How Parents Destroy
the value of play
 Purpose and Timing
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Parents are eager to provide a toy for the child.
To young for it, not interested at time, not their type
 Too many toys
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Child has too many toys to play with.
Confusion, overwhelming, too many choices
 Self-conscious Play
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Parents enter child’s play too actively or at the wrong time. They might laugh, ask a
question, make suggestions, or criticize the child’s play.
 Toys for boys and Toys for girls
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Child has been stereotyped and only has gender appropriate toys, games, and activities.
Let them choose their own interests.
 Competition
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Parents make play a competition – be the best, do it first, make it right.
Child is better at something than their friends and friends don’t enjoy playing with them
 Hinder Creativity
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Parent’s not allowing kids to be kids and explore, experiment, play, get dirty, make mistakes,
and following protocol of how it is to be in the real adult world. This is a child’s world
5. How Parents Can Foster Play
(strengthen and help develop it)
 Relax the Controls
 Be the Child’s Advocate
 Inspire Perseverance
 Provide a Creative
 Tolerate Differences
Environment
 Let them be kids
 Allow for
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Free Play
Puzzles, computers. Dramatic
play, play-dough, basketball
hoop, climbing stuff, toys…
“What would you like to do today?”
 “I don’t know”
 Aimless wandering
Give ideas and show
activities
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 Child gives no response
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Notice where their eyes
are looking and facial
expressions of interest
Give ideas and show
activities
Find them a friend
 Doing the same activity
everyday
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Encourage variety and
point what others are
doing.
How did you get there?
Have children stand in a line with one leader (adult) and the other
adult leader stands across the yard or room.
The leader without children yells :
“___, _____, how did you get there?” (filling in the blanks with an animal
or a mode of transportation)
The other adult leader yells the mode of movement for that animal
or vehicle.
ex. "Snake, snake, how did you get there?"
"We slithered!"
At this point all the children pretend to be that thing and slither to
the other leader. It goes back and forth as long as the attention of
your children.
Use horses, elephant, frog, bees, motorcycles, helicopter, racecars,
airplanes, etc. …
DRAMATIC PLAY
IMITATE REAL-LIFE SITUATIONS
THINK OF IT AS A STAGE WHERE THE CHILD
ENTERS AND IMMEDIATELY TAKES ON A
ROLE AND PRETENDS.
-
PARENTING, COOKING, DOCTOR,
TEACHER, GROCERY STORE, OFFICE, HAIR
SALON, ETC.
- Best done when restrictions are few and
possibilities are endless.
Be aware of Culture!!
Supply pictures and props that represent
different races, and types of culture.
Benefits of Dramatic Play
 Provides an outlet of the child’s inner thoughts and
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feelings.
Develops problem solving skills, cause and effect,
decision making, autonomy, and self-image.
Practice language development as they develop plots
Develops and creates opportunities for social
interactions
Teaches about occupations and roles and how to do
them in real life.
Dramatic play allows children to
learn about and experience their
world.
Caregiver’s Role in Dramatic Play
COACHING:
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Provide children with problem solving ideas.
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Child may not want to be a baker because there is not a baker’s hat.
You help them make a paper hat
A child is hitting and you tell them to stop because the child does not
like it and then direct them through solving the issue.
MODELING:
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Show them appropriate ways to play a part.
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In a shoe store the child may not know how to sell shoes so you say,"
Would you like to buy some shoes today?”
Your child looks hungry, shouldn’t you go and feed him?
CREATING the SPACE
 Separate area that can have 3 sides.
 Walls, dividers, shelves, and furniture can be used.
 Near other noisy areas.
 Ample space to build and develop – flat and carpeted
 Near block area so they can share supplies
 Containing real life items.
 It is often based on the day’s theme.
 Theme: Weather
Prop Box Supplies
BEAUTY SALON
Brushes- cordless blower- empty
product bottles- mirrors- apronsemery boards- magazines- play
cosmetics- play money
DRESS-UP CLOTHES
Shoes -scarves -jewelry -hats - wigs
suitcases - bags - keys
FURNITURE
Stove - refrigerator - child-sized
table & chairs - - mirrors dolls - doll bed & high chair
KITCHEN EQUIPMENT
Pots & Pans, Utensils - cooking
equipment Clock - telephone food
Look at basic junk items as creative
opportunities!
 Use toilet paper rolls to create a real
life object like binoculars.
 Take small empty clear water bottles,
fill them half full with water and food
coloring, then hot glue the cap on.
The kids love pretending to drink
these different "juices".
 Shred colored paper into empty spice
containers .
 How about a cardboard box?
Act out a Story or a Book
Read a book like Brown bear, Brown Bear.
Create face puppets using paper plates.
Then act out the book using the paper plate
masks.
PUPPETS
Made out of anything!
A self conscious child can hide
behind a puppet and act out
feelings or be anything.
they may say things to or
through a puppet that they
would not say to anyone else.
The teacher can use puppets
to motivate and teach the
children
Often they will listen to a puppet
over a teacher.
Dramatic Play Prop Box
• LOOK AT YOUR PRESCHOOL LESSON THEMES
• LIST 10 ITEMS THAT YOU CAN REALISTICALLY PUT IN
YOUR DRAMATIC PLAY AREA.
IMAGINATION!
USE YOUR
What would you put in a Royalty box or a Gardner box?
EXAMPLE: TEACHER
Book, Paper, Chalk, Crayons, Ruler, Glasses, Black Construction Paper, Calculator,
Markers, Notebook.
Other ideas:
A Camping Trip
 Close your eyes and draw the camping scene that I will tell you:
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A lake
A boat on the lake
A man in the boat fishing
A fish on the end of the hook
A tent on the shore of the lake
A camp fire with flames
A dog by the campsite
Mountains in the background
The sun peaking through the mountains
Clouds in the sky
A wolf howling on top of the mountain
 Open your eyes and look at your picture
Small (Fine) Play
• Builds Language skills
• Builds Social skills
• Builds Cognitive skills – thinking,
reasoning, problem-solving,
understanding
• These skills develop the ability to
write, color, draw, manipulate
small objects and toys,
accomplish self-help tasks.
To Carefully Select Materials for Play
 Select open-ended
toys that have a
variety of uses like:
Small Motor Play
 Sand or water or other sensory table play
 Painting
 Puzzles
 Playdough
 Cutting
 Threading (beads and lacing cards)
 All art is fine motor, but not all fine motor is art.
 Sorting objects (beans)
 Boardgames
BLOCK AREA
 Blocks, lego’s, lincoln logs, ..
 Away from quiet areas and next to noisy areas like
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dramatic play.
Use the shelves for walls and storage
Ample space to build without getting in the way of others.
Flat carpeted surface for warmth, comfort, and noise
control
Provide Props other than blocks: furniture, people, cars,
animals, road signs…..
Establish simple rules to keep the “construction site’
safe.
We use blocks for building
We take blocks as we need them
We clean up our blocks when we are finished
•
I Wiggle
I wiggle my
fingers. I wiggle
my toes. I wiggle
my shoulders. I
wiggle my nose.
Now no more
wiggles are left in
me. I sit as
quiet, as quiet as
can be.
LARGE (GROSS) PLAY
 Enhance learning
 Included daily
 Teaches habits of activity that will continue as they
get older.
 Social growth
OUTDOOR PLAY
 Develops motor skills
 At least 60 minutes of
physical activity a day
– both inside and outside.
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Movement activities
Jumping activities
Climbing activities
Obstacle course activities
Roll and Tumble activities
Parachute activities
Games
Ball activities
Planning Outdoor Environments
• Enough empty space but not Dead space
– Lots of grass and trees to run around
• Broad, easily visible paths
• Children in one unit cannot reach children in
another unit
• The children should not have to walk through
one area to get to another.
The caregiver should be able
to see all areas of the
playground easily.
Provide a multipurpose
equipment for child stimulation.
Utah State Law requires:
• 40 square feet per child or an
acceptable alternative.
• It must be fenced with a five foot
fence.
• A shaded area must be provided.
Dinovember
• http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article2507305/Dinovembers-toy-dinosaurscome-life-creative-parents-spark-webcraze.html
PROPS
• The performers are split into pairs, each
given a different unusual prop. The pairs
alternate at the prompting of the host's
buzzer, giving short scenes using their
prop in a unique way.