Early Childhood Care and Education Module 10

CONCEPT, MEANING AND BENEFITS OF PLAY

Concept

Play is an important and integral part of the life of any child. Play is a non-serious and
self-contained activity engaged for the sheer satisfaction it brings to children. It helps
children achieve mastery in certain skills, and they learn to have control over their
environment. The environment and play are important elements that support each other.
Play has a significant role which helps in the holistic development of the child. For
children, play is considered to be fun which is enjoyable for its own sake and its own
reward. During play children follow their own ideas and interests. Any activity which is
done during the leisure time without any pressure from an outsider can be considered
as play time. Play in early childhood is a vital experience through which children learn
social, conceptual and creative skills, as well as increase their knowledge and
understanding of the world around them. Play is highly motivating and complex.
Although play is not the only way in which children learn, it is an essential part of their
early development and learning.

Meaning

Play serves as a path for the child to develop their thinking and learning abilities which
lead to their holistic well-being. Every child has the right to play. Through play children
choose to follow their own ideas and interests in their own way for their own way and
reasons. Play helps a child strengthen their bodies, expand their minds and thereby
influences many dimensions of development. A child learns though play and to achieve
this, children need appropriate time period to get involved in play. Play is considered as
the most or even the only developmentally appropriate way for young children to learn.
Schiller referred to play as an aimless expenditure of exuberant energy, while Froebel
referred to it as the natural unfolding of the germinal seeds of childhood, and Groos
defined it as an instinctive practice, without serious intent, of activities that will be
essential later in life. Play in the real sense is difficult to define. The broad category of
activities that are covered by the term play include a great variety of behaviours such as
swinging, sliding, running, digging in the diet, building with blocks, dancing to music,

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making up nonsense rhyming words, dressing up and pretending. Play is often

interpreted as the opposite of work, something that is done on the weekends, during
vacations, or with children.

According to Freud and Erikson, play helps the child master anxieties and conflicts.
Because tensions are relieved in play, children can cope more effectively with life’s
problem. Therapists use play therapy both to allow the child to work of frustration and to
analyze the child’s conflicts and ways of coping with them (Sanders, 2008). Piaget
(1962) defined play as assimilation, or in other words, the child’s efforts to make
environmental stimuli match his or her own concepts. They claimed that play was just
for pleasure, which remands them from the previously learned/ practices activities
though it’s not necessarily been a result in earning new tasks. Play also is an important
context for cognitive development (Coplan and Arbeau, 2009). Play is the work of a
child and thus it is an excellent setting for cognitive development. Garvey (1977) defined
play as an activity which is: 1) positively valued by the player;2) Self-motivated; 3)
Freely chosen; 4) Engaging; and 5) Which "has certain systematic relations to what is
not play". These characteristics are important for teachers to remember because
imposing adult values, requirements, or motivations on children's activities may change
the very nature of play.

According to Webster's Desk Dictionary of the English Language, the word play has 34
different meanings. In terms of young children and play, the following definitions from
Webster's are useful:

 light, brisk, or changing movement (e.g., to pretend you're a butterfly)

 to act or imitate the part of a person or character (e.g., to play house)
 to employ a piece of equipment (e.g., to play blocks)
 exercise or activity for amusement or recreation (e.g., to play tag)
 fun or jest, as opposed to seriousness (e.g., to play peek-a-boo or sing a silly
song)
 the action of a game (e.g., to play duck-duck-goose)

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As per the United Nations High Commission for Human Rights it the birthright of every
child to play and this right is violated by engaging the child’s time in child labor or other
means in which the child’s time is exploited. However not a lot of children are fortunate
enough to avail the resources towards play; in the present society children are
pressurized to persuade knowledge or skill which as per parent’s thought are more
beneficial in securing their children’s future. For this the child looses the opportunity to
develop the unique potential and factors that in turn will be helpful in the holistic
development associated with play.
Children are born to play. They learn about the world and themselves through the
freedom to play. The characteristics of children’s play are as follows:
 it is self chosen and self directed
 exploration without care of what the end result will be
 is individually constructed
 imaginative and active
 adventurous and risky
 communicative
 enjoyable
 involved
 meaningful
 sociable and interactive
 symbolic
 therapeutic
 voluntary
Children are born with the drive and capacity to learn through play specially
through some natural drives like curiosity, playfulness and sociability. As parents and
teachers, the child’s ability to play can be enhanced and supported through participation
of elders in their play, encouraging mistakes, building a playful space and trusting them.

Benefits of play

Play is a medium through which the child develops his/her creativity by using one’s own
imagination, dexterity, and physical, cognitive and emotional strength. Play has a

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prominent role in creating a healthy brain. A child masters the world while engaging and
interacting to their surroundings through play. They use their creativity to explore the
world and conquer the fear while interacting with other children and adults through play.
Play demonstrates that children develop new competencies which shows enhanced
confidence and the resilience to overcome the future challenges. By informal or
undirected play children learn self-advocacy skills such as group works, sharing,
negotiation, conflict resolving etc. During play time children wish to pursue full freedom
and passion, like when the play is controlled by the children, they make their own
decision, move at one’s own pace, discover idea’s of interest and will be engaged
unlimitedly. As a matter of fact, it has been suggested that engaging children in
unstructured play may be an exceptional way of increasing children’s physical activity
level, which could help resolve the epidemic problem of obesity. In fact play has all the
characteristics that oppose passive entertainment; it builds active, healthy bodies.

Play is simply joy that has to be cherished as a part of childhood memories. Play can be
a bridge that connects parents or caregivers to the children emotionally. Children
develop an affectionate relationship with the outer world through play and parents get to
know the thoughts of their children too through play. When parents observe and get
involved in the play, they get the opportunity to see the world from a child’s point of
view. Another positive side of involving in play with children is that they may feel secure
and attentive while parents play with them. Parents who have the time to participate in
their children’s play world, easily learn to communicate more effectively with their
children and might be better equipped to offer gentle, nurturing guidance. Children who
fail to communicate may have problem to express their views, experiences, and is
prone to be frustrations through play, which allows their parents to gain an opportunity
to completely understand children’s perspective. Play is the simplest path through which
a parent gets to know and engage with the children.

Play is a main ingredient in educational environment. Play ensures that the school
provides social and emotional development towards the children as well as cognitive
development. Children enhance in learning behaviors, readiness and problem solving

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through play in school. Play enhances children’s academic learning. An unscheduled

time in pay among children are considered to be important component in social-
emotional learning. For a child the most important gift by the parent or the family is to
give the kids time to play. Parents finding time to play with their kids is a challenge in
the present scenario since most of the parents are working hard to meet their day to day
challenges to get their things done perfectly. Even though parents are busy, play cannot
be kept optional it’s essential. When a family play’s together it weaves the ties of love
and becomes a connection that binds the family members together. Free play or
unstructured time play in case of older children and adolescents is necessary to gain
cognitive, physical, social and emotional well-being.

There are many benefits in a child’s play; through play children learn about themselves
and the world. Play creates opportunity for them to learn about how to get along with
others and sort out the conflicts in life. Daily play routine helps in improving language
and developing the growing fine and gross motor muscles. Along with this play
encourages a child to be self-dependent, creative and be self-esteemed.
Play increases bodily functions – Play is a form of exploration of oneself and of one’s
world. A child manipulates objects and finds reality through play. Play is essential for
physical growth in terms of a child’s increasing awareness of his bodily functions.
Through play the child reaches out into the widening world of intellect and emotions.
Play is the source of development and creates the zone of proximal development and
physical space. Active play also acts as an outlet for surplus energy which is pent up
and which makes the child tense, nervous and irritable. Play is also a muscle builder, it
helps in developing better motor coordination.

Play socializes –Children learn how to interact with peers when engaged in play
activities while also building on important schemas about the real world. Play is an
enjoyable experience for all children. Children of all ages will spend many hours
participating in play activities because play supports their understanding of their social
environment and facilitates their efforts to build a realistic sense of self. Play has a great

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value in that it assists children in exploring and understanding various roles and social
interaction techniques.

Play is needed for healthy brain development – A child’s brain develops around75
percent after a baby is born, in the years between birth and the late teens. During the
period of childhood, play stimulates the brain to make connections between nerve cells
and this connection is what that helps a child develop both gross motor skills and fine
motor skills. Play from the teen years to the period of adulthood helps the child’s brain
to develop even more connectivity, of the central area mainly which functions for
planning and good decision making.

Pretend play stimulates the child’s imagination and creativity–Various studies have
proved that a child who uses their imagination is more creative during their adulthood.
Make believe is a part of play in which the child’s imagination takes adult’s minds to
places where they have not even imagined or thought of. This creativity during
adulthood helps them to be innovative in many ways and in inventing new products
which helps in easing human life (productive or entertaining). Their imagination begins
with simple activities such as pretending to play mother child with a doll, using
matchboxes as vehicles etc.

Play develops the brain’s executive function–A person’s executive function refers to
the mental skills that allows them to manage their time and attention, in planning and
organizing, to remember details, and in deciding what is and isn’t appropriate to say and
to do in a given situation. While playing it helps growing children to use their past
experiences in understanding what to do and what not to do in their present situation,
also it helps in mastering their emotions which are their skills that is central to self-
control and self-discipline. Children, who have a well developed function in executing
the skills, do well in their performance and get along well with others, and make good
decisions.

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Play develops a child’s “theory of mind.” “Theory of mind” is the ability to step into
others shoe and walk along their way. While a child gets involved in imitative play they
start to understand their playmate thoughts and feelings. A child with stable theory of
mind will have tolerance and compassion towards other people and also will have an
increase in their ability to play and work well with others.

Free play encourages overall development- Free play means unstructured play with
no cost which is an essential play way method for a child to grow holistically. It’s
important for a child to experience all that the adult’s teach them so that they get new
skills on how to work and how to cooperate in play as a team. Whether the child
participates in an organized activity such as football, a dance team or a music band,
kids learn on how to cooperate with a group for a particular goal and will help them
develop physically and mentally.

Encourages creativity – Free play comes free of cost. It’s not necessary that all
children can have ready-made props for their play earn to improvise. When the child is
creatively active, even play boxes and sofa cushions can become a fort and a
superman costume can be created out a salwar shawl. Dollhouse can be created out of
out of use cardboards and materials from around the house. These creative children
can resist the temptation to buy the latest electronic devices, ready-made toys, since
they get toys from the materials available around them. Children who are encouraged to
be creative by using available materials instead of materials from the stores are
considered to be more creative.

Establishes bonding with family members – Play has a vital role in connecting family
members. When everyone in family spends some time to play, laugh, giggle and enjoy
together some spontaneous play, everyone will feel good about themselves and
everyone else. On the other hand, parents who are always engaged in spending time
with their personal entertainment devices, find it difficult to form emotional bonds with
each other and forego the time to be utilized together.

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Encourages laughter which is the best medicine – Play is all about the greatest
feeling when one participates in an activity that they enjoy doing. While playing, people
have fun and while having fun people laugh. It’s proven through recent researches that
laughter is powerful, and it’s the only cost free as well as readily available method to
energize one’s mind and psychological well-being. That is what makes play worthwhile.

Group play enhances cooperation–Group play is as important as solitary play; but it

is only in group play a child learns to get along with others and handle conflicts in
different life situations. They experience group processes of give and take and thought
of compromising. Play is thus one of the real life learning methods that help people to
get along with their everyday experiences and interaction with others.

Enough time to play – A group play takes their own time to set up a play perfect
background, to take roles along with preparation of props and deciding on how to
proceed with the plan. Through play, children get an idea of their own status or areas
where they have to develop. They grow their skills such as cognitive, language and
physical through experience, beside the skills they also develop their imagination,
concentration, self-confidence and sociability skills.

Helps children thrive better – Taking a back to basics approach can be an easy way
for an adult to incorporate play into their child’s schedule. When parents or caretakers
buy toys for the children there it shows the love and nurturing of a family. Toys which
are provided to the children give them an opportunity to express emotions based on
their experiences at home. For example; children watching parents taking care of
grandparents pretend mother –child care with their toys. The most appropriate place for
child’s physical activity is his surrounding such as backyard or neighborhood
playground.

Even though children’s schedule is prepared by parents who are busy with all lots of
activities, parents are at an ease of feel that there will be proper balance between
structured activities and free time. While structured activities turn out to be a part of

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growing up, it’s important that young children get enough time to play, with a safe place
and safe people around the child.

Organized games help older children to learn how to wait for their turns, follow rules and
be both calm at gain and loss. During these organized games children learn to
communicate and cooperate and also gain knowledge on some friendly competitions.
Children learn a great deal from one another while playing with other children. Play has
tremendous capacity to make children creative, open and caring. It also keeps them
away from complexes and helps them to become normal people.

Conclusion
Play is practical, authentic and an often suggested educational endeavor for
children. Some of the benefits of play including social, emotional, cognitive and physical
development can be achieved only through play. Children learn how to interact with
peers when engaged in play activities while also building on important schemas about
the real world. Play is an enjoyable experience for all children. Children of all ages will
spend many hours participating in play activities because play supports their
understanding of their social environment and facilitates their efforts to build a realistic
sense of self. Play has a great value in that it assists children in exploring and
understanding various roles and social interaction techniques.