Click Me!! © 2004, ZERO TO THREE. All rights reserved. Contact ZERO TO THREE for all uses: G o Play Promoting Your Childs Learning

© 2004, ZERO TO THREE. All rights reserved. Contact ZERO TO THREE for all uses: www.zerotothree.org

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GGoo Play Play

Promoting Your Child’s Learning Promoting Your Child’s Learning

Through Play Through Play


Playing with your child is Playing with your child is not only fun, it’s one of not only fun, it’s one of the most important ways the most important ways you can nurture you can nurture development. development.

Play is LearningClick Me!!


In the everyday moments you share In the everyday moments you share with your child.with your child.

Play happens…

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“Play” doesn’t necessarily mean an organized activity or a dedicated period of “quality time.”

Play – and learning – can happen anytime you are with your child.

Time to Play!Click Me!!


What do children learn through play?What do children learn through play?

Take this short quiz and find out!Take this short quiz and find out!

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True or FalseTrue or FalseFlashcards, educationalFlashcards, educationalcomputer games, and “braincomputer games, and “braindevelopment” videos acceleratedevelopment” videos accelerateyoung children’s learning.young children’s learning.

False


• Babies and toddlers have an Babies and toddlers have an in-born desire to learn and in-born desire to learn and develop new skills. They do develop new skills. They do not need structured classes, not need structured classes, flashcards, special videos or flashcards, special videos or programmed “teaching time” programmed “teaching time” in order to learn. in order to learn.

• In addition, there has been In addition, there has been no researchno research that has found that has found you can make a child you can make a child “smarter” by using special “smarter” by using special toys or activities. toys or activities.

False: Classes & FlashcardsClick Me!!


Classes and Flashcards ContinuedClasses and Flashcards Continued

• What children do need is lots of time to explore and play in a variety of ways, indoors and out. And they need you to follow their lead, respect their individual style of play, join in their play, and be their coach in making new discoveries.

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Learning Through PlayLearning Through Play

Babies and toddlers learn Babies and toddlers learn best when they have best when they have loving adults to care for loving adults to care for them, and who are them, and who are responsive to their needs responsive to their needs and interests. and interests.

Babies also learn best when Babies also learn best when they can play and explore they can play and explore an enriching, interesting, an enriching, interesting, and child-safe and child-safe environment. environment.

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Learning Through PlayLearning Through Play

• Children learn through Children learn through play by:play by: – Imitating (adults and other Imitating (adults and other

children)children)– ObservingObserving– ExperiencingExperiencing– Discovering/exploringDiscovering/exploring– Wondering Wondering – Using one’s senses Using one’s senses

(touching, hearing, (touching, hearing, seeing, tasting, smelling)seeing, tasting, smelling)

For research on early learning go to Handouts. Select Research on Early Learning.

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True or FalseTrue or False

Parents offer their childrenParents offer their childrentoys based on their child’stoys based on their child’s

gender.gender.

True


• Research show that parents of toddlers react more positively to children who are in gender-traditional play (e. g., girls playing with dolls, having tea parties), and more negatively to children engaged in non-traditional play for the gender (e.g., boys having a tea party or playing with dolls).

True: Toys and GenderClick Me!!


Toys and Gender ContinuedToys and Gender Continued

• This probably reflects dominant cultural beliefs about male and female roles, and shows how early these beliefs and values are communicated to children.

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The amount of outdoor play does not vary among child care settings.

False

True or False


• Research shows that the amount of Research shows that the amount of outdoor play offered to children varies outdoor play offered to children varies by child care setting, with some by child care setting, with some children receiving little and others children receiving little and others much moremuch more. .

• Outdoor play is very important. It Outdoor play is very important. It helps children develop many physical helps children develop many physical skills like climbing, jumping, balance, skills like climbing, jumping, balance, and coordination. and coordination.

False: Outdoor PlayClick Me!!


Outdoor Play ContinuedOutdoor Play Continued

• Slides, sandboxes, and Slides, sandboxes, and other play equipment also other play equipment also promote social skills like promote social skills like peer play, friendship-peer play, friendship-building, language, building, language, conflict resolution and conflict resolution and negotiation skills. negotiation skills.

• It is important to find out It is important to find out how much time your child how much time your child will spend in outdoor play will spend in outdoor play when you are looking into when you are looking into child care options.child care options.

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Young children who can’t read and write don’t benefit from playing with real “grown-up” materials like paper, envelopes, pens, books, and take-out menus.

FalseFalse

True or False


• Making literacy materials—like paper, envelopes, Making literacy materials—like paper, envelopes, pens, books, and take-out menus—available in pens, books, and take-out menus—available in children’s play settings encourages reading and children’s play settings encourages reading and writing to happen in their play. writing to happen in their play.

• Research shows that playful experimentation Research shows that playful experimentation with print supports literacy development.with print supports literacy development.

False: Literacy MaterialsClick Me!!


True or False

An 18-month-old can be expected to share toys during a play date.

False

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• A recent survey found A recent survey found that about half of parents that about half of parents believe that young believe that young toddlers should be able to toddlers should be able to share (share (What Parents What Parents Know About Children’s Know About Children’s DevelopmentDevelopment, ZERO TO , ZERO TO THREE, 2000). THREE, 2000).

• Sharing is a very complex Sharing is a very complex skill. It requires children skill. It requires children to be able to manage to be able to manage their own very strong their own very strong emotions, to be emotions, to be empathetic and empathetic and understand how others understand how others feel, and to be able to feel, and to be able to understand time (i.e., understand time (i.e., waiting for their turn). waiting for their turn).

False: SharingClick Me!!


Sharing ContinuedSharing Continued

• 18-month-olds simply have not developed 18-month-olds simply have not developed the skills they need to succeed with the skills they need to succeed with sharing—yet. sharing—yet.

• Parents can help children learn this skill Parents can help children learn this skill by modeling how to share and by playing by modeling how to share and by playing turn-taking games (e.g., rolling a ball back turn-taking games (e.g., rolling a ball back and forth). and forth).

• Children begin to grasp the notion of Children begin to grasp the notion of sharing at about age 3 but will still need sharing at about age 3 but will still need help occasionally.help occasionally.

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Click Me!! © 2004, ZERO TO THREE. All rights reserved. Contact ZERO TO THREE for all uses: G o Play Promoting Your Childs Learning