The Importance of Play
in Child Development
My personal opinion on play and how I believe it affects toddler development...
There is a quote that I love and feel that it coincides with the play and development of toddlers and that is, "When you asked me what I did in school today and I say, 'I just played.' Please don't misunderstand me. For you see, I am learning as I play. I am learning to enjoy and be successful in my work. Today I am a child and my work is play." - Anita Wadley, 1974
As professionals (pediatrician,teachers, or caregivers) and as parents I believe that we must understand and watch our toddlers at play and watch them explore the world and things around them. As they are exploring new things and playing with different things they too are learning many things. To not allow a child to play and roam is to keep them from learning.
Motor Skill Development
Social Emotional Development
Motor Skill Development / Cognitive Development
The concept of play...
Play is viewed as endemic to human species...
Toddlers development the following in play...
Cognitive Development, language and literacy, math, arts, solving problems, creating, Social and Emotional Development, empathy, cooperation, respect for each other
Physical Development, balance, coordination, and muscle enhancement.
(http://www.ukessays.com)"... the child in fantasy comes to know reality."
Krauss stated it this way: "The means whereby the child in fantasy comes to know reality."
The meaning of play to me is letting the child be a child, explore, and learn the world around them. I think by doing this we are also teaching our children independence and maturity at a young age.
A developmentally appropriate environment would include...
furniture and centers that are appropriate for the age group that is in that particular room. Toys and books would need to be age appropriate, furniture would need to be safe and stable for toddlers, and centers must have clean, disinfected toys so that the children stay healthy. Since toddlers learn about the world around them by acting on objects and the things that surround them it is appropriate to have many opportunities for physically exploring. Centers must be where toddlers can have easy access to select from them. Other materials and items for learning will be placed in an appropriate place until it is time to teach that activity.
Older toddlers environment - 3 year olds
Younger toddlers environment - 2 years olds
Youngest toddlers environment - 1 year olds
The significance of designing an environmental space to nurture a child's physical, socio-emotional, cognitive, and language development...
Toddlers will explore and try to figure out what everything around them is, what the toy or object is for, and how to use it. Toddlers want to understand and know the meaning of everything they come in to contact with. The environment that the toddler is in needs to be carefully designed to meet all of their physical, socio-emotional, cognitive, and language development needs.
When homes and day care centers provide the right environment it makes for a wonderful place for nurturing the development of the toddlers.
Toddlers who play in this type of environment will have an abundance of opportunities for expanding their knowledge and skills.
I would recommend a physical space and the materials listed below as part of the space needed for toddler development...
1 year olds room
2 year olds room
3 year olds room
References
Groark, C., McCarthy, S. & Kirk, A. (2014). Early child development: From theory to practice. Bridgepoint Education: San Diego, CA.
NAEYC for Families. (n.d). The 10 NAEYC program standards. Retrieved from https://families.naeyc.org/accredited-article/10-naeyc-program-standards
hatfieldmomof3. (2011, March 21). Toddler observation video 3. [Video File]. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7nQxWCn_dBg#t=17
Bongiorno, L. (n.d). 10 things every parent should know about play. Retrieved from http://families.naeyc.org/learning-and-development/child-development/10-things-every-parent-should-know-about-play
Toddler relationships and toddler behavior.From title: The social toddler [Video file]. Retrieved from http://digital.films.com/OnDemandEmbed.aspx?Token=40118&aid=18596&loid=66452&Plt=FOD&w=400&h=340&ref=%22%20+%20window.location.href%20+
Images taken from individual sites:
childdevelopmentportfolio.blogspot.com