Full Description
Play is crucial to the learning and development of children in the early years. The third edition of Play in the Early Years is a comprehensive introduction to the theory and practice of play for children from birth to 8 years old. Drawing on classical and contemporary theories, this text examines social, cultural and institutional approaches to play, and explores a range of strategies for successfully integrating play into early years settings and primary classrooms. This edition features a new chapter on conceptual playworlds, which demonstrates what conceptual playworlds look like to infants and toddlers, pre-schoolers, and children transitioning into school. The text features classroom vignettes and photographs designed to help students connect theory to practice, and reflection questions and research activities encourage in-depth reflection and extend learning. Highly regarded by early childhood researchers and practitioners alike, Play in the Early Years remains an essential resource for pre-service students.
Contents
1. What is play?; 2. Children's perspectives on play; 3. Families at play; 4. Digital play and digital tools to support learning; 5. Playing in schools; 6. Lenses on play: classical and developmental theories of play; 7. Lenses on play: post-structuralist analyses of children's play; 8. Lenses on play: cultural-historical conceptions of play; 9. Play in the curriculum; 10. Conceptual PlayWorlds: intentional teaching in play-based settings; 11. Planning for play development; 12. Assessment through, of and for play; 13. Being a play activist.
