Famous Philosophers on the Theory of Play

<strong>Famous</strong> <strong>Philosophers</strong> on the Theory of Play
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Posted by Ciera Nordin in Our News on March 16, 2015 . 0 Comments.
The idea that children engage in play on a regular basis is a belief that is universally held to be true.
This truth can be found across cultures and throughout the history books; however, the content of
children's play differs across time and space. There is some evidence that play may also transcend
species. The young of many other animals seem to exhibit behaviors that are similar to the play of
children. However, while play is apparently a universal truth, there are a number of necessary
conditions that need to be present for children's play to occur and be sustained.
Friedrich Froebel: The “Father” of the Kindergarten Concept

Friedrich Froebel believed that the purpose of
education was to encourage and guide man. In his
philosophies, he proposed that man was a
conscious, thinking, and perceiving being. From a
child to an adult, education must show him the
ways and meanings of attaining a goal. To this
end, education must have aspects of personal
choice. In children, personal choice can be
expressed through play. They must have the
choice to choose what type of play, or education,
they will engage in. These choices will result in
their attainment of specific, personal goals.
Plato: The Laws and the Republic Justify the Use of Play in Education
Plato's philosophies show us that the education
should be tailored to the public needs. He points
out that education is not to point out who will rule,
but who will follow in patriotism. To this end, he
argues that boys and girls should receive the same
teaching. In order for the children to be receptive to
eructation, Plato believes that the educational
process should begin as early as possible. He
suggests that 3 to 6 year olds should play different
games. Older children should play the same
games with the same rules. By playing the same
games, children can learn to follow the rules and
become accustomed to being ruled by good
principles. The need for rules in play, similar play,
and play in education will create a sustainable
society.
Lev Vygotsky: Introduction of Abstract Play

Lev Vygotsky's philosophies show us that children
can develop abstract meaning separate from the
objects in the world. In other words, imaginary play
can help the child to develop new ways of thinking.
Vygotsky goes on to say that imagination is a new
formation, it is not something found in animals.
Through play and actions a child's imagination can
grow. This is not something that can be found in a
young child. It, imagination, must be nurtured and
grown throughout the course of a child's life.
Through their imagination they can play and learn
more about realistic or unrealistic desires.
John Locke: Learning Should Be Achieved Through Play
Philosopher John Locke believed that children
would develop a desire to be taught, if and only if,
their learning was made into a recreation. Locke
thought that children should not have work or
anything serious laid onto them. He believed that
the idea of "work" would injure a child's health. In
other words, children should be allowed to learn
through play, not by being forced to read their
books. Through play and choice, children could
instead learn to love their books, rather than hate
them.
Erik Erikson: Play is Necessary to
Social Development

Erik Erikson had similar theories to play theory is
similar to Lev Vygotsky. He believed that play was
a necessary factor in a child's social development.
The play of children is not merely an expression of
their conflicts and problems, rather, it is an attempt
to find symbolic solutions. Much like Vygotsky
believed that the imagination led to abstract
thinking and improved reasoning, Erikson thought
that play was crucial to a child's social
development. Through play the child could learn to
resolve problems, not by concrete solutions, but
through abstract thinking that could lead to internal
solutions.
John Dewey: Play is Akin to Survival
John Dewey felt that the youngest children would
have been given objects to play with that would
have been necessary for survival. By playing with
these objects, children could learn to be an active
part of the community, while also enhancing their
odds of survival. For example, during the Stone
Age children would have been given a stick to
throw and play with. The stick would have
represented the future spear that the child would
need to wield in order to survive. Once again we
see that play is necessary for a child's
development of certain skills.
Melanie Klein: The Study of Child
Analysis

Melanie Klein developed a technique of child
analysis that is still used today. Her “play
technique” suggests that a child's play should be
viewed as symbolic representations of their
unconscious thoughts and emotions. In this vein, a
child's play activities should be interpreted in the
same way that dreams and free associations are in
adult analysis. Through Klein's philosophies we
now view a child's play as a meaningful activity
that can and should be analyzed.
Jerome Bruner
Jerome Bruner was influential in helping people
better understand how children play and build
their knowledge. He coined the term "scaffolding,"
which describes how a child will build on the
information that they have already mastered. In
this way, a child's play can become more
advanced as they master different skills. The
mastery of these skills will lead the child to
explore new areas of interest. In short, a child's
play is sustained by their curiosity and ability to
build upon previous knowledge.
Maria Montessori: Play Activities
Should Be Used For Healthy Development

Maria Montessori has shown that play can be
important for healthy development. She believes
that for play to occur a child must be using their
creativity, the actions must be enjoyable and
voluntary, the play must help the child develop
socially, and play can help the child expand-upon
new ideas. Her philosophies and teachings show a
culmination of the philosophers, educators, and
psychologists that came before her. We see
Friedrich Froebel's principles of choice, Lev
Vygotsky and Erik Erikson's belief in the
importance of the imagination, and John Locke's
belief that education as recreation or play would
leave to a love of knowledge.
In conclusion, the concept of children playing can
be found across history, cultures, and philosophies. It is a concept that has led many philosophers to
believe that through play a child can learn, grow, and improve their social development skills.