CHAPTER 3:Fostering Creativity in Play

The Whole Child: Developmental Education for the Early Years

Tenth EditionPatricia WeissmanJoanne Hendrick

Weissman/Hendrick. The Whole Child, 10e. © 2014, 2010, 2006, 2001, 1996 by Pearson Education, Inc. All Rights Reserved

3-2

Purposes of Play

•Play Fosters Physical Development

oSensorimotor Skills

oFitness and Health

•Outdoor Play Connects Children to Nature and Their Environment

oNature Feels Good and Inspires

oChildren with Disabilities

Weissman/Hendrick. The Whole Child, 10e. © 2014, 2010, 2006, 2001, 1996 by Pearson Education, Inc. All Rights Reserved

3-3

Purposes of Play

•Play Fosters Intellectual Development

oSymbolic Thought

oAcquisition of Information and Skills

oLanguage Development

•Play Enhances Social Development

oPretend Play: Dramatic and Sociodramatic

oGames with Rules

Weissman/Hendrick. The Whole Child, 10e. © 2014, 2010, 2006, 2001, 1996 by Pearson Education, Inc. All Rights Reserved

3-4

Purposes of Play

• Play Contains Rich Emotional Values

oExpression of Feelings

oRelieves Pressure

oMastery

• Play Develops the Creative Aspect of a Child's Personality

oImagination

oDivergent Thinking

•Play is Deeply Satisfying to Children

Weissman/Hendrick. The Whole Child, 10e. © 2014, 2010, 2006, 2001, 1996 by Pearson Education, Inc. All Rights Reserved

3-5

Developmental Stages of Play

• Piaget's Stages of Play

oFunctional PlayoConstructive PlayoDramatic PlayoGames with Rules

Weissman/Hendrick. The Whole Child, 10e. © 2014, 2010, 2006, 2001, 1996 by Pearson Education, Inc. All Rights Reserved

3-6

Developmental Stages of Play

• Parten's Stages of Play

oSolitary PlayoParallel PlayoAssociative PlayoCooperative Play

Weissman/Hendrick. The Whole Child, 10e. © 2014, 2010, 2006, 2001, 1996 by Pearson Education, Inc. All Rights Reserved

3-7

Developmental Stages of Play

• Educational Implications

oOrganized, competitive games are developmentally inappropriate for preschool-aged children

oBe prepared for chaotic nature of children’s play

oUnderstand how play can enhance academic learning

Weissman/Hendrick. The Whole Child, 10e. © 2014, 2010, 2006, 2001, 1996 by Pearson Education, Inc. All Rights Reserved

3-8

Factors Likely to Facilitate Creative Play

•Allow Children's Ideas to Develop/Avoid Dominating Play

oTeacher-Directed PlayoChild-Initiated Play with Teacher SupportoTeacher Intervention in Play

Weissman/Hendrick. The Whole Child, 10e. © 2014, 2010, 2006, 2001, 1996 by Pearson Education, Inc. All Rights Reserved

3-9

Some Practical Ways to Stimulate and Extend Play

• Ask Questions

• Make Suggestions

• Provide Plenty of Time for Play

• Use Language to Enrich Play

• Make a Point to Include Children with Disabilities

Weissman/Hendrick. The Whole Child, 10e. © 2014, 2010, 2006, 2001, 1996 by Pearson Education, Inc. All Rights Reserved

3-10

Some Practical Ways to Stimulate and Extend Play

• Cast Yourself as Child's Assistant in Play

oMove with the Child's PlayoPut Yourself in the Child's PositionoPut Children in Command of Play

Weissman/Hendrick. The Whole Child, 10e. © 2014, 2010, 2006, 2001, 1996 by Pearson Education, Inc. All Rights Reserved

3-11

Some Practical Ways to Stimulate and Extend Play

• Actual Life Experience is Fundamental to Creative Play

• Offer Many Opportunities for Outdoor Play

• Equipment is Important to Facilitate Play

oGet Equipment That Encourages ImaginationoWide Variety of Basic Kinds of EquipmentoChange Equipment FrequentlyoRearrange and Recombine Equipment FrequentlyoStore Equipment in Convenient Places

Weissman/Hendrick. The Whole Child, 10e. © 2014, 2010, 2006, 2001, 1996 by Pearson Education, Inc. All Rights Reserved

3-12

Some Practical Ways to Stimulate and Extend Play

• Keep Play Areas Safe and Attractive

• A Final Thought

– Children need plenty of freedom, time, and materials for their imaginative play

Weissman/Hendrick. The Whole Child, 10e. © 2014, 2010, 2006, 2001, 1996 by Pearson Education, Inc. All Rights Reserved

3-13

Specific Activities to Encourage Creativity in Play

•Creative Dramatic Play – “Just Pretending”

•Block Play

oSupply a Variety of BlocksoEmergent Perceptual-Motor SkillsoEmotionally Satisfying Block PlayoVisual-Spatial RelationshipsoIntellectual DevelopmentoBlocks Foster Creativity

Weissman/Hendrick. The Whole Child, 10e. © 2014, 2010, 2006, 2001, 1996 by Pearson Education, Inc. All Rights Reserved

3-14

Specific Activities to Encourage Creativity in Play

• Water Play

o One of the freest, finest play opportunities we can offer children

o Should be offered several times a week

• Mud and Sand

o Among most popular play activities, offering messy, unstructured, tactile, sensual experiences

• Computer and Digital Screen Play

o Make sure does not interfere with robust, physical play

o Ensure screen play is enriching and developmentally appropriate