Literacy news

The truth about play

1 Sep 2009

Rebecca Parlakian and Claire Lerner begin their article about the importance of play to a child's development by reminding parents and carers that, "Play is learning. Playing with your child is not only fun, it's one of the most important ways you can nurture development. "Play" doesn't necessarily mean an organised activity or a dedicated period of "quality time." Play - and learning - can happen anytime you are with your child."

From a set of statements that are either true or false, Parlakian and Lerner set out the following important truths regarding how children learn through play:

• Babies and toddlers have an inborn desire to learn and develop new skills. Rather than needing structured classes, flash-cards, special videos or programmed "teaching time", they need lots of time to explore and play in a variety of ways, indoors and out. They need their parents and carers to respect their individual style of play, to join in their play and to be their coach in making new discoveries.
• Outdoor play is important and helps children develop many physical skills. In addition, using slides, sandboxes and other play equipment promotes social skills like peer play, friendship-building, language, conflict resolution and negotiation skills.
• Making literacy materials - like paper, pens, envelopes and books - available to children encourages reading and writing. Playful experimentation with paper and other print materials supports literacy development.
• An 18-month-old cannot be expected to share toys during a play date. Toddlers simply have not developed the skills they need to succeed with sharing. Parents can help children learn this skill by modelling how to share and by playing turn-taking games, such as rolling a ball back and forth.

A set of tips following the true/false statements provide ideas for how to make the most out of a child's playtime:

• Follow your child's lead - Watch your child play with a toy. It's okay if it's not the "right" way to use the object...let him show you a "new way."
• Go slowly - It's great to show your child how a toy works but try not to do it for her every time. Providing just enough to help keep frustration at bay motivates your child to learn new skills.
• Read your child's signals - Your child may not be able to communicate using words, but he can use sounds, facial expressions and gestures to tell you when he is frustrated or has had enough. Reading his signals can tell you what activities he prefers.
• Play it again, Sam - The more children practice and master new skills, the more likely they are to take on new challenges and the learning continues.

(Zero to Three, September 2009)

Tags: Talk To Your Baby

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