Children play, everyone knows this. Not everyone knows yet that play is important for the development of children. In preschoolers, the children are given plenty of space to play, but as soon as they make the transition to group 3, this usually ends. The children then only play on the playground and outside school. But space to play is still important within the classroom. “Play is the most essential activity of the safe child with a world that can still turn out to be anything” ~ Langeveld
Why play is important
Young children like to play. According to Vygotsky and many others after him, their game offers the best opportunities for development. The game creates a zone of proximal development. Children represent social and cultural reality: for example, they imagine themselves as a doctor, football player or police officer and want to be able to and know all kinds of things that come with the role, such as writing prescriptions for the patient, knowing the rules of the football game or high fines as a police officer. The game creates motivation to learn, which will be the leading activity in the next phase of development.
We saw earlier that young children are difficult to motivate for learning in order to make learning itself or learning meaningful. The role play appears to be of excellent significance for the children. And as a result, they understand reality better.
Vygotsky also pointed out the value of play for higher mental functioning. In play, children have the initiative: they learn to direct and adjust their own actions. Playing therefore remains much more worthy of our attention than we previously thought. But even though the children have the initiative, the teacher is not passive in order to make optimal use of the possibilities of the game, she can give suggestions or resources, help children to express their role and provide newer role options. Active participation of the teacher will take the game to a higher level and strengthen the beneficial effect on development.
Working with themes
It is important for students that themes are also worked on, so that you can respond to the lives and experiences of your students. For example, at Christmas and Sinterklaas, but also when many students in the class obtain a swimming diploma, etc.
Three points why themes are important:
- Activities are linked to meaningful content
- Promote (beginning) role-playing
- Sources in children’s living situations and people’s habitats in general (socio-cultural activities)
Knowledge of game
It is also important for you as a teacher that you have knowledge about certain matters within a theme, such as:
- Knowledge of materials.
- You will need to know what it takes and how it works.
- Didactic skills to teach children how to work with materials.
- You will have to be above the material to be able to teach it to children.
- Attention to the versatility of materials.
- You will have to use materials in different ways.
- Insight into the goals and initial situation.
- You will have to have a clear idea of the level of the students in certain areas.
- You will also have to supervise the game.
Stimulate enthusiasm
To get the children excited, you can do this in a number of ways, for example playing along and thinking along with children. This way you show that you take the students seriously and that you want the best for the students.
We can distinguish three moments when the role of the teacher is important:
- Preliminary : Creating conditions for the game to develop.
- During : Provide guidance indoors or outdoors.
- Afterwards : Looking back on the game situations and drawing conclusions from them.
Conditions
There are a number of conditions for the children to play. The following conditions must be created for the development of the game.
- Sufficient time must be allowed for playing.
- There must be enough space to play.
- Providing space for play also means giving children the freedom to pursue their chosen activity.
- There must be materials that can be played with.
- The rules in the classroom should support play.
- Children should be taught game themes.
- It is important that every child feels comfortable in the group and with the teacher.
Types of game
We see two different types of play, in which differences can still be made. The types of play we see are as follows:
- Manipulative game;
- Role play.
Within manipulative play we see a number of other forms of play that children will have to go through before they can start role-playing.
Manipulative game
Manipulative play is play in which children are given the space to discover and work with their hands. The children play around and with each other. The better the game, the better the language and vice versa. Manipulative play encourages talking.
Within manipulative play we see a number of types of play that children experience:
- Sensopathic play;
- Effect game;
- Practice game;
- Aesthetic play;
- Role-related actions.
From these forms of play, the children eventually make the transition from manipulative play to role play.
Role play
The role play arises from the role-related actions that we see in manipulative play. During the role-related actions, the children talk more and more to each other, ultimately creating a real role play. Role playing can only be achieved when manipulative play is well developed. In addition, the use of language is very important within the role play; After all, children communicate largely through spoken language.
Within the role play we see two forms:
- Demonstration game;
- Effective role-playing.
In the demonstration game , the teacher acts out the role play. This is a means to help children in their play development.
In effective role play , the children play themselves, making appropriate use of language and play.