“Play is a fun, enjoyable activity that elevates our spirits and brightens our outlook on life. It expands self-expression, self-knowledge, self-actualization and self-efficacy. Play relieves feelings of stress and boredom, connects us to people in a positive way, stimulates creative thinking and exploration, regulates our emotions, and boosts our ego” (Garry Landreth, 2002).
“Play is what children and young people do when they follow their own ideas and interests in their own way and for their own reasons.” DCMS (2004)
“At any age, play acts to retain and enhance meaningful context, and optimizes the learning process.” The National Institute for Play, USA (2006)
The value of learning through play was first put forward by Friedrich Froebel in the 19th century. Froebel, a German educator, stressed encouraging the natural growth of a child through action or play. He felt that educational play involved the child in feeling, observing, developing a sense of form, space, time and movement. These practices were reinforced in the 20th century by Swiss philosopher Jean Piaget who said that children learn through the active exploration of a wide variety of objects.
Play is often described as the ‘work’ of childhood. At Eureka! we believe it is much more than this. Linking play to work almost brings the connotation that it is has to have outcomes, that there is always a purpose, and by some it may be seen as a chore! We view play as a vital part of children’s holistic development.
Play has both social and cognitive elements. The social elements of play refers to the amount of social interaction that a child is engaged in. The cognitive elements refers to the complexity of a child's play skills. These elements are interrelated and will often overlap.
It is through play that children explore their world, take risks, make mistakes, achieve. It is through play that children learn to use their imaginations and develop creative thinking, they learn to express themselves. It is through play that children build relationships with each other and the adults who play along side them. It is through play that children develop emotionally, physically, and intellectually. Play offers choice, control and freedom within reasonable boundaries. Play allows children to learn through their own experience, it is intrinsically motivated.
