Foundations of

Curriculum, Play,
and Pedagogy
Week 5
Agenda
• Features of Play
• Stages of Play
• Play Theories
• Explain Activity #2
 3 Unique Features of
Play
• Motivation
• Active Engagement
• Process over Product
(Dietze & Kashin, 2019, p.44)

What do you think each of

these looks like?
Motivation
Bruner (1961) identified 3 internal
motivators:
1. Curiosity
2. Desire to show oneself and others
what you know and what you are able
to do
3. Striving toward a common goal with
others

This Photo by Unknown author is licensed under CC BY.

(Dietze & Kashin, 2019, p.44)

Intrinsic vs. Extrinsic
Intrinsic Motivation
• Personally rewarding and
satisfying
• Children are internally motivated
in different ways
• More likely to try new ideas
Extrinsic Motivation
• Engage in order to receive an
external reward or to comply to
avoid pressure or punishment.
• Complete tasks to obtain
approval by others, especially if
they believe it is valued by
adults.
(Dietze & Kashin, 2019, p.44-45)
Which of the following are
intrinsic/extrinsic
A. A child is working on a drawing for a long period of time,
looks at it with a satisfying look and puts it in their cubby.
B. An infant takes a couple of steps then falls down, they wait
a few seconds, then get back up and try again.
C. A child learns how to tie his shoe after days of trying, the
teacher says “great work”.
D. The children are working together to build a block tower
really high. Every time they add another block, they share
the excitement by laughing together.
Active Engagement
• leads to the development of
language, cooperation, sharing,
problem solving, expansion of
curiosity, and coordination of body
skills
• Supports in the development of
skills to manage stress and to
formulate a healthy lifestyle

•(Dietze & Kashin, 2019, p.49)

Process • Creativity is generated from within the child.
• Children need the freedom to engage in play,

Rather explore, and make mistakes without the feeling of

failure.
•(Dietze & Kashin, 2019, p.50)
Than
Product What do you think this means? What does it look
like?
Self- Regulation and Executive Functioning
• Self-Regulation and executive functioning skills are fostered when
children are in environments that allow them to experience trial,
errors, and success (Dietze & Kashin, 2019, p.48).
• Read the executive function skills in table 2.2 on page 49.
• As a group, come up with an game or song that would support the
development of at least two of these skills.
• Prepare to share with the class and discuss what age group this would
be appropriate for.
Stages of Play
 Piaget's Stages of Play
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• Functional/Sensorimotor - Simple, repetitive

movements often with people, objects, and sounds.
Most prevalent around age 2.
• Symbolic/dramatic play - Using props, taking on
roles. As cognitive abilities advance, children
This Photo by Unknown author is licensed under CC BY-SA-NC. expand the depth of their play. 2-7 years.
• Games with Rules - Negotiate rules before
they engage in a play experience. School age
children.
(Dietze & Kashin, 2019, p.61-62)

This Photo by Unknown author is licensed under CC BY.

Sarah
Smilansky's Contributions
to the Stages of Play
Constructive Play – 4-6 years
• The level of sophistication for the
social/dramatic play.
• Combine functional and symbolic
play.
• High level of problem solving and
social interaction.
• Enjoy a process of experimenting
and exhibiting a sense of "what will
happen if I do this"
(Dietze & Kashin, 2019, p.63)
Partan's
Classifications of
Social Play
• What does solitary,
parallel, associative, and
cooperative play look
like?
• Parten identified
unoccupied and
onlooker as nonplaying.
Many researchers do not
consider these to be
categories. What do you
think? Retrieved from: https://www.verywellfamily.com/types-of-play-2764587
What stage of play might this be?
The Play Process
Phase 1 – Body Play
Phase 2 – Motoring Movement Play
Phase 3 – Imaginative Play
Phase 4 – Intentional Imaginative Play
Phase 5 – Peer Play with Rules
Phase 6 – Adult Play
Play Theories
 • Sociocultual Theory – Children learn about the
social and cultural contexts, such as their social
Contemporary world, through their daily living experiences.
• Critical Education Theory - Examines education
Theories from the social-political and cultural context.
(Dietze & Kashin, 2019, p.63)
 Sociocultural Theory
What are some examples of what each of these might look like.

• Vygotsky – Zone of Proximal Development. Through play,

children figure out situations then construct knowledge.
• Bronfenbrenner - Development is influenced
by family, community, culture and society.
• Goncu - Play is influenced by the economic, social, and political
factors that are prevalent in larger cultures. The values and
beliefs adults have about play directly influence the quality of
the play.
(Dietze & Kashin, 2019, p.67)

This Photo by Unknown author is licensed under CC BY.

 Critical
Educational
Theory
• Examines how play is influenced
by gender, class, and race
inequalities.
• Adults facilitate opportunities for
children to examine the
inequalities that exist within
their learning environments.

(Dietze & Kashin, 2019, p.67)

What do you think some of the

inequalities are of play?

This Photo by Unknown author is licensed under CC BY-ND.

 Group
Discussion
• Review the Classical Theories
(p.65) and Modern Theories
(p.66).
• Choose one that you feel
is important for ECE's to know
and create a short summary.
• Prepare to share with the class
why you chose that theory.
Activity #2 – Literacy - 20%
Purpose:

To promote language, literacy, and reading in inclusive play-based settings

Method:

• Select a children’s book that you would like to use throughout the course of this project.
• Ensure that the book is age and content appropriate for an infant, toddler, or preschool age child.
• Avoid thematic books that explore dominant holidays and celebrations.
• Keep in mind diversity, inclusion and equity while selecting a book.

• Record yourself reading the story and post to the online dropbox
• Then create a “Story Table” to bring in to class (See Examples in our course shell).

This is an individual assignment. The work you submit must be your own.

Let's Review assignment in eConestoga.

Dramatic Play and Literacy

• Story tables are a great way to bring literacy in through dramatic play.
• As a group, choose a book from the pile.
• Fill in the chart provided to plan out a dramatic play experience that is
centered around the book.
Next Week

Upload the video of

you reading the story
into the dropbox
References
• Dietze, B. & Kashin, D. (2019). Playing and Learning in Early Childhood
Education. Pearson Canada Inc. North York, On. Canada.