Position paper for curriculum planning and pedagogy course. Contains topics such as: what is play, what research says about play, the benefits of play, the challenges play faces, a counterargument for concerns of learning through play and the implications for adults.

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Position Statement
Opening Statement
One constant that we can always count on, regardless of diverse circumstances, is that
young children will play. If you ask a young child why he or she plays, they will probably say
"Because it's fun!" Of course, being adults, we have to define play in terms we are comfortable
with. Our thinking about play has been influenced over the years by the work of many
psychologists, researchers and practitioners, and much has been written about how young
children learn and how adults can support this learning. However, must remember that play is
simply and literally vital for children. It is through play that babies and young children learn,
grow and have fun. It helps them understand the world and to develop physically, socially,
emotionally and intellectually. All children should be able to play and learn in a fun environment
with adults who understand and care about them. Yet, this need is being relentlessly challenged
in today’s world. It is left in our responsibility to defend the child’s right to play; therefore, we
must respect, understand and advocate for this cause.
In this position paper, I will discuss: what is play, what research says about play, the
many benefits of play, and the challenges that play is faced with today. Then, I will present the
implications for adults regarding learning through play in the early years. A counter argument
will also be offered to anticipate for the biases, arguments and concerns of the reader.

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What is Play?
“You can discover more about a person in an hour of play than in a year of conversation.”
-Plato
Often, when we recall our childhood we remember long hours spent playing and having fun.
Although play is a common experience, it is difficult to define precisely. However, drawing from
numerous researches, play can be said to be a meaningful activity done for its own sake. Play is
not just about doing, it’s about being. It is a state wherein the child expresses wonder and
creativity, for children it is a way of life.
Several characteristics that are present in most definitions of play are that:
- Children are intrinsically motivated
- It is controlled by the players
- The concern is in the process rather than the product
- It is free of externally imposed rules
What Research Says About Play
Many people such as educationalists, psychologists, researchers, practitioners and other
stakeholders involved in a child’s life have contributed to the knowledge on how children learn
through play by solid research and evidence. Almost all children play, except those who are
malnourished, deprived, or have severe disabilities. According to Smith and Pelligrini (2008),
between 3% and 20% of young children’s time and energy is typically spent in play. If young
children are temporarily deprived of play opportunities, for example being kept in a classroom,
they play for longer and more vigorously afterwards.

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Many theorists have also contributed to the topic that learning does occur during play.
Some of these are Sigmund Freud, Jean Piaget and Lev Vygotsky. Freud suggested that play was
a way of expressing socially unacceptable behaviors. Play was therapeutic, allowing one to vent
undesirable feelings and actions in a more acceptable manner. This is true as dramatic play tends
to correctly fulfill these reports. Piaget was focused on intellectual development in children, and
his play theory reflects that and Vygotsky’s play theory emphasizes social development.
According to a pamphlet done by the Department for Children, Schools and Families
Publications (2008) many adults themselves have confessed to literally experiencing that their
child does indeed learn through play. Several examples are shown as evidence below.
 “In a different world, where I didn’t have to work, I’d still choose to send Ethan to the
nursery. He’s so full of confidence. He makes friends so easily, even if they don’t speak
the same language, and he shares and cares for those around him.”
Nicki
Mum and NHS employee
 “It’s extremely important that young children learn through play in a fun and creative
way. When I was a primary school teacher, I could often recognize those children who
had had really good early years input. It’s important, though, that the emphasis is on fun!
Jacqueline
Mum and university tutor

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 “Nursery has been fantastic for our boy. He’s really happy and has grown in confidence.
He thinks he plays all day but he’s learning at the same time.”
Joe
Dad, unemployed
 “The nursery has given my daughters skills through activities I’d never have been able to
offer them at home. Most of all, at nursery, they let them play! The girls at home continue
their learning by using the same games or songs or picking up a particular idea. It works
really well.”
Hayley
Mum
The Benefits of Play
What is definitely gained from research is that rich, varied play experiences strongly
boost children’s learning (Bernard, 2009). There is considerable research on the benefits of play
for children’s learning across all areas of development.
Physical Development
Manipulative play, active play and sensory-rich play helps children to learn in several ways in
this area of development.
1) Fitness and health becomes a life practice.
2) Play enriches children’s sensory and aesthetic appreciation.

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3) Gross motor skills are developed such as reaching, grasping, crawling, and running,
climbing and balancing.
4) Fine motor skills are also developed as children handle small, more detailed toys.
Cognitive Development
Through creative play and dramatic play children are able to:
1) Learn how to solve problems through play.
2) Develop dispositions for learning such as curiosity and persistence.
3) Enhance their memory skills as well as their attention span.
4) Develop language and literacy skills.
Socio-Emotional Development
Through cooperative play and pretend play children are able to develop fundamental social
skills and express themselves emotionally. This is very crucial as play acts as the outlet for
whatever the child wants to convey but cannot do so through words. Several things that
children learn in this area are:
1) Conflict negotiation skills, self-control and empathy.
2) Better emotional and social adjustment
3) Communication skills by understanding simple messages
4) Resolving the child’s anxieties to enhance emotional security

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The Challenges Play Faces
Even with its many benefits that contribute toward a child’s learning, play is being
challenged and even overruled by other strategies and trends that are becoming prominent. Some
of the challenges are the impact of the digital age, overscheduling and parental emphasis for the
focus to be on academics.
The digital age has had a huge impact on children’s play. In the age that we live in, life is
characterized by instant access to information via the Internet and other media sources. This
leads to our conception that more academics should be available for young children to keep up in
the new technological age that has dawned. Therefore, we tend to overschedule the child’s
timetable even down to the activities that they indulge in with academics, books and theoretical
knowledge. Children are not machines. You cannot simply add more fuel and speed them up.
They are governed by internal processes and one of their basic needs is that of play. Therefore,
we cannot ignore these natural developmental timetables without doing serious harm to children.
Another way that the digital age impacts youngsters is through the media exposure. This has a
direct negative effect on their natural creative abilities as these children often have difficulty in
making up new ideas so they reenact the ones that they saw on-screen. This severely limits the
child’s potential and is surely pushing away the ‘play’ that existed before such focus on these
devices.
Another challenge that play is facing in our schools in Trinidad and Tobago is that many
parents misguidedly prefer that their young children focus on academics. Their concern about
their children’s future easily turns to fear and they act on what traditional methods they know.
For example, most of us can testify to us as parents believing that knowing the letters of the

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Alphabets, being able to count to 10 or more or even using pencils are very important or essential
for a child to be ready for kindergarten. However, this is not the case as young children will
develop these skills as they grow and learn from the foundations which are essentially rooted in
play.
Counterargument for Concerns of Learning through Play
Despite the benefits of learning through play and the many challenges that it faces, some
can argue that we lack descriptive information on the time and energy spent in various forms of
play. Without this we cannot understand the definite benefits of play. Further, while play may
have many positive benefits, there are downsides to it. Many children tend to indulge in play
fighting. This is often noisy and disruptive, and it often leads to real fights. However, this is not
for all children that play-fight. It happens more because some children lack various social skills
or are either rejected by playmates. These children often respond aggressively. Some children
also show frequent violent fantasy. But this can be countered by stating that the extent of this
was related to poorer language and play skills and more antisocial behavior. This does suggest
that play is entirely negative for the young child but shows that play must be well observed and
guided to avoid such instances.
Implications for Adults
Adults are usually involved in children’s play whether it is parents, teachers or
caretakers. Most experts in play research believe that a balanced approach is best (Smith and

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Pelligrini, 2008). We must not be sages and cluster them with rules or inhibitions when they play
but rather allow children to have these concrete experiences with our support through it. There
are several things that we can do to facilitate learning through play for youngsters.
Gordon and Brown, (2008):
1) Show genuine interest in the child’s choice of play and their play process
2) Create a safe environment where children can feel physically and emotionally secure to
engage themselves.
Other ways we can help
• Support children in their play
• Provide good quality resources
• Be aware of the potential learning in all areas of the curriculum
• Model skills involved in play
• Interact with the children, asking questions and making suggestions to support their learning
• Be familiar with key vocabulary – model and support children in their use of key words
• Work alongside children, modeling skills and attitudes
• Read with children from fiction/non-fiction books, plans, instruction cards etc.
• Scribe children’s ideas and thoughts, and display their work
• Observe children’s learning and use of the provision
• Assess children’s development/progress to inform planning for future learning.

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Closing Statement
It has been established that young children will play no matter the circumstances. We can
now understand why play is simply and literally vital for children. This is because it is through
play that babies and young children learn, grow and have fun. It helps them understand the world
and to develop physically, socially, emotionally and intellectually. All children should be able to
play and learn in a fun environment with adults who understand and care about them. That is
why we as adults must come together and provide the necessary changes in the environment,
resources and our attitude so that young children can effectively learn through play. Even though
the need to play is being challenged in today’s world I believe that it is left in our responsibility
to defend the child’s right to play. So let us come together as teachers, parents and anyone
involved in the young child’s life to make a significant difference to them. Let us help them learn
in a more fun way. Let us advocate for play in every early childhood center in Trinidad and
Tobago!

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References
 Bernard, L.(2009). NAEYC Young Children: Play, Ten Power Boosts for Children’s
Early Learning.(432820), pages 72-78.
 Department for Children, Schools and Families Publications, (2008). It’s Child’s Play:
Early Foundation Years Stage. Sherwood Park, Annesley Nottingham NG15 ODJ: Crown
Copyright.
 Gordon, A. G., and Browne. K. W. (2008). Beginnings and Beyond: foundations in early
childhood education. 7th
Ed. Clifton Park, N.Y. Thomson Delmar Learning. USA.
 Smith PK, Pellegrini A. Learning through play. In: Tremblay RE, Barr RG, Peters RDeV,
Boivin M, eds. Encyclopedia on Early Childhood Development [online]. Montreal,
Quebec: Centre of Excellence for Early Childhood Development; 2008:1-6. Retrieved
from: http://www.child-encyclopedia.com/documents/Smith-PellegriniANGxp.pdf.