Play in preschool
- kaileeatindale
- Oct 14, 2017
- 2 min read
Play builds a strong sense of self-confidence. There are also therapeutic benefits to play that help all children. For children under the age of five, play is the foundation for creativity, constructive problem solving, self-regulation, and learning as a whole (GreatSchools Staff, 2016). Through play, children build a range of skills they need for life, including gross and fine motor skills, language skills through cooperative play, social skills of listening, negotiating and compromising (GreatSchools Staff, 2016),
Children’s play can be divided into categories, but the types of play often overlap.
Dramatic — Fantasy-directed play with dressing up in costumes, assuming roles as characters, using toys to represent characters in stories, creating imaginary settings, and pretending to take on the roles of adults.
Manipulative — Holding and handling small toys often used to build objects but also found in puzzles, characters, beads, etc.
Physical — Using the whole body in activities with bikes, balls, jump ropes, hoops, play structures, etc.
Creative — Using art materials such as paint, clay, markers, pencils, glue, etc. The play takes place in the process of using the materials, not in the end product
(GreatSchools Staff, 2016).
Play-based counselling encourages the expression of a child's feelings, experiences, and cognitive functioning in a non-threatening manner (Attachment and Trauma Treatment Centre for Healing (ATTCH), n.d.). Play Therapy is a therapeutic approach which provides an opportunity for children to ‘play out’ feelings and problems, using toys to symbolically represent their inner and outer worlds (ATTCH, n.d.). Play is a child’s natural language and way of making sense of their experiences-through the use of play (ATTCH, n.d).
In play therapy, traumatized children learn:
that the world can be safe, consistent and predictable
that feelings (both positive and negative) are acceptable
to trust and attach to other people
to be creative and resourceful in confronting problems
develop a greater capacity to cope
to experience behaviours and feelings of control/mastery
to develop an internal source of evaluation
to be more self-directed, responsible and autonomous
to develop an enhanced sense of self and become more self-accepting
(ATTCH, n.d).
References:
Attachment and Trauma Treatment Centre for Healing (ATTCH). (n.d.). Play therapy. Retrieved from https://www.attachment-and-trauma-treatment-centre-for-healing.com/play-therapy.html
GreatSchools Staff. (2016). How important s play in preschool. Retrieved from https://www.greatschools.org/gk/articles/play-in-preschool/
Garisto Pfaff, L. (2017). Why play is important in preschool classrooms. Retrieved from http://www.parents.com/toddlers-preschoolers/starting-preschool/choosing/preschool-play/
Katie. (2014). Play-based learning: Why it matters. Retrieved from https://preschoolinspirations.com/play-based-learning-why-it-matters/
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