Katrina Pickett-Rust ECE225 12/3/2013 Personal Theory of Play A.

I think children play because they have a need and desire t be s cial! use their i"a#inati n! be creative and release their ener#y$ Children can bec "e b red and restless %hen they are & rced t stay still r 'uiet & r " re than a &e% "inutes at a ti"e$ (hey need t be n the " ve t stay c ntent$ I& y u d )playti"e* c rrectly! children %ill have the pp rtunity t create thin#s &r " their %n "inds and c "e up %ith st ries and plays t #ether %ith their class"ates$ (heir creativity can run %ild$ Play is essential %hen it c "es t helpin# a child learn$ Play helps t devel p y un# children+s "inds and b dies ,c #nitive skills! " t r skills! pr ble" s lvin# skills! s cial-e" ti nal skills! verbal skills! etc$-$ In a per&ect % rld! I think y un# children % uld be all %ed t spend up t hal& & their sch l day

playin# r e.periencin# s "e type & play in their less ns$ I think as children a#e ut & the )early childh sch d* a#e! their play ti"e sh uld decrease but it sh uld never st p$ /ll pe ple l ve t play s all l$ Play sh uld de&initely take up a # d

l-a#ed children sh uld have ti"e t play each day in sch d pr #ra"s$

a" unt & ti"e in all early childh B.

(he the ry & play that I think " st rese"bles "ine is Pia#et+s (he ry & Play$ Pia#et th u#ht play %as an i"p rtant part & a child+s upbrin#in# and that play helps children devel p skills that they %ill need later n in li&e$ ,0 hns n! Christie! 1ardle! 2005- )2n the ther hand! Pia#et als believed that play all %s children t practice and c ns lidate recently ac'uired c ncepts and skills thr u#h acc "" dati n$$$ In essence! he th u#ht that play %as critical as a c nditi n & r learnin# t ccur*

,p$ 31-$ I think this the ry is si"ilar t "ine because I think play is very i"p rtant and that y un# children sh uld spend a l t & ti"e playin#$ I als believe playin# helps children devel p certain skills that they %ill use thr u#h ut the rest & their lives$

/s &ar as i"ple"entin# "y the ry int "y %n classr

"! I think the " st i"p rtant thin# t

think ab ut is the balance bet%een &ree-play ti"e and actual less ns and play that # es al n# %ith the"$ I %ill " re than likely be teachin# at an ele"entary sch l and &r " %hat I have seen! play ti"e

is n t enc ura#ed as "uch as it sh uld be$ 4 it %ill be nearly i"p ssible t #et a%ay %ith all %in# children t play & r hal& the day$ 1ith that bein# said! I %ill # %ith a realistic appr ach and say5 I %ill try t all % the children %ith ar und an h ur & &ree-play ti"e each day$ I %ill n t set a ti"er r tell the" %hat ti"e %e %ill be d ne %ith play ti"e because this %ill disc ura#e the" &r " di##in# deep int their i"a#inati ns and creativity$ 2n days that I can nly s'uee6e in sh rt peri ds & play! I %ill be sure t inc rp rate as "uch play int "y less n plans as p ssible$ I % uld like t have a r " &ull &

di&&erent kinds & play "aterials$ I % uld be sure t include a dress-up area! a )h use* area %ith d lls and kitchen ite"s! an area %ith thin#s t build ,bl cks and 7e# s- and an arts/cra&ts area$ I %ill all % "y students t play n their %n & r the "a8 rity & the ti"e because I d n t %ant "y presence t hinder their i"a#inati ns$ (hey "ay h ld back i& I a" standin# ver their sh ulder the entire ti"e$ I %ill play %ith the" n ccasi ns and I %ill step in i& I &eel a child is at a l ss %ith %hat t d $ 9urin# &ree-play ti"e I %ill enc ura#e children t "ake their %n decisi ns and play %ith %hatever they % uld like t play %ith$ I think it is i"p rtant that I d n t tell the" %hat t d and/ r %hat t "ake$ (his is n t )&ree* play ti"e! it is instructi n and that li"its their sense & creativity$ 1hen I inc rp rate play int the less ns! I %ill #ive " re directi n because that play %ill have t # al n# %ith %hat I a" teachin#$ I think children resp nd %ell t r utines$ I %ill be sure t keep "y class n a si"ilar r utine each day s they are never thr %n &&$ I %ill "ake sure that all & the "aterial and activities are devel p"entally appr priate & r the children I a" teachin#$ I %ill be sure t include a variety & activities each %eek5 includin# "usic! art! pu66les! b ard #a"es! 'uiet readin# ti"e! etc$ I %ill divide the class int centers & r di&&erent types & play t keep the r als keep the classr " r#ani6ed and &ree & clutter$ (his %ill

" sa&er$ Children %ill be able t " ve t and &r " each area at their %n %ill but

%ill n t be all %ed take these play ite"s t their desks/tables unless they have per"issi n t d s $ I think havin# a #reat classr " library is i"p rtant$ I %ill be sure t keep 'uality b ks n hand &r "

"any di&&erent cultures and #enres$ 7ast but n t least! %hen children! their &a"ilies and I %alk int "y classr "! I %ant there t be s"iles$ I %ant "y classr " t be c l r&ul and cheer&ul$ I %ant k$ I %ant every ne t

enc ura#in# literature n the %alls and a c 6y area & r the children t read a b &eel c "& rtable! happy and e.cited t c "e t sch l$