Essay Sample on Early Childhood Education: Playtime for Fun or Control?

Introduction

The early life of a young child involves daily activities of playing and learning. Early psychologists of early childhood education described these two as the basis for which young children acquire knowledge (Zuffiano et al. 2015). During play, different experiences and emotions are affecting our sensory nerves that majorly impact our learning process. However, playtime today is being used as a tool to control children rather than for its basic reason for being fun for the child. Normal ideas of play involve going outside to have adrenaline-filled activities with friends or family. Lately, teachers use it to push for educational goals or parents using it as a reward type system instead of seeing it as a necessity. This discussion is an analysis of the importance of play, molding positive experiences and the boundaries of playing from the perspective of a child and that of the teacher.

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Play Time

Children play for the pleasure they get from it. It gives them experiences that aid in their growth and cognitive development. It is through experiencing deep feelings of togetherness, excitement, shock, taking risks, and essentially a formation of balance. Children value the pleasure of play over educational values. For example, a one-year-old does not talk gibberish to practice language skills but simply because it is fun. Playtime represents a big part of the child's social and physical surroundings. This due to the objects used during playtime and the people (friends) the child plays with. They construct a fantasy world to play in that comprises of rhythms, responsibilities, and guidelines. Researchers showed that the importance of communication between the parent and child in the play world that has songs to sing, or rules such as obeying the queen. All this becomes part of the fun from the activities they do from their responsibilities that are different from normal life.

During playtime, there is a rhythmic structure to the physical environment. For example, when playing, a child throws a ball with excitement, watching the movement, and listening to sounds it makes. The guardian would then retrieve the ball, and the boy repeats this, making up rules to follow and the pleasure of beating the scores of the game. The rules are usually very simple and can easily be changed to accommodate new details. These actions then get repetitive hence becoming a ritual of the game. Games like tag and peekaboo involve the parent and child; hence they are called co-construction games. Through fantasy and these repeated actions, they can bond in a play-type reality.

The Freedom to Mold Experiences

Using fantasy during playtime directly relates to serious issues that children face in their normal life. During roleplay, children act out scenes that leave impressions, which is why I believe we should limit the content they watch from the media. After visiting hospitals, children want to be doctors. Through the presence involved in playtime, they form their own perspective view of the world, which is directly linked to their self-esteem and general understanding. It breaks through the rule of following logic creating a temporary escape from obligations making those experiences exciting. An example is a two-year-old jumping between couches pretending that the floor is hot lava. I feel play time gives a sense of freedom and the belief of conquering the impossible to a child.

Play and Adaptation

Neuropsychologists and evolutionary psychologists show that playtime helps children (even young animals) understand their environments by learning the behavior of their peers and authority. When the environment changes, an animal adapts, forming mechanisms that coincide with the new environment. Studies show that playtime involves the same process. This shows how a child's brain is programmed to adjust to different rules and, in doing so, learn to adapt in actual life. Studies show that the more complex the social life of a species, the bigger their brain size. Also, depriving a child of playtime leads to them having less control over their thoughts and behavior. This proves that giving a child with ADHD daily sessions of play would lessen their symptoms.

Play and Learning Boundaries

A child is not aware of the accepted boundaries between moments of the play, work, school, or care time. A caregiver could be performing a regular task such as changing a diaper, and the child breaks out in a playful mood. The younger they are, the less they know of these boundaries; hence caregivers are required to monitor playtime to ensure they do not cross these boundaries. From applying corrections, the child learns what they can and cannot do gradually as they grow up. However, teachers always seem to try to control children, yet they can use the basic elements of playtime to achieve more results. This is by using elements of play such as rhythm to instill the desired lessons. Children have a right to play, and the teacher and caregiver must make sure it is done safely. This promotes the feeling of togetherness and positive communication.

I believe having a playful spirit is effective in teaching children about rules, boundaries, dealing with failures, and learning new skills. It helps them face obstacles positively and having bonding moments with their caregivers and teachers. The spirit of playfulness is what dominates the life of a child, and we can all use this to teach them the skills they need in life. Through activities of storytelling and drama, we provide them with a sense of freedom from the rules that bind everyday life. Playing broadens their mind as well as many adults in adapting to life and understanding different cultures of other people. It maintains confidence and a sense of structure carried on to adulthood through familiar rhythms, laughs, songs, dances, rituals, and tasks.

Reference

Zuffiano A., Colasante T., Peplak J., Malti T. (2015) Sharing without caring? Respect for moral others compensates for low sympathy in children's sharing. British Journal of Developmental Psychology. 6(33) p.21-57 DOI: 10.1111/bjdp.12084

Singer E. (2015) Play and playfulness in early childhood education and care. Psychology in Russia: State of the art. 8(2) p.9-33 DOI: 10.0000/cyberleninka.ru/article/n/play-and-playfulness-in-early-childhood-education-and-care