Stratford-upon-Avon Living Jul - Aug 2021

Learning through play
Katie Paynter - discusses
the value of play in the
development of children
Nothing is as natural as a child at play. It is a
cherished part of childhood. It is important
to recognise that it is difficult to give a single
definition of play. It can be defined as ‘what
children and young people do when they
follow their own ideas and interests, in their
own way, and for their own reasons.’ Play
has also frequently been described as ‘what
children and young people do when they are
not being told what to do by adults’.
Regardless of definition, the importance
of play cannot be underestimated. It is
undeniably instrumental in children’s learning
and development and is particularly integral
in a child’s early years, given it indubitably
supports their foundational social, emotional
and cognitive growth.
Anyone spending any time with young
children will understand that providing them
with opportunities for play provides so much
more than a few minutes or hours of ‘fun’.
Many instrumental skills are developed. It
develops communication and language skills
and vocabulary, an understanding of emotion
and empathy, social skills and creativity. It
also supports and strengthens co-operation,
collaboration, sharing and problem solving.
Children will observe those around them
and mimic language and behaviour. It
teaches self-expression, nurtures a sense of
imagination and simultaneously gives children
a feeling of adventure.
Dramatic play is absolutely essential to a
child’s social and emotional development and
can enhance their physical development too.
It is also very closely connected to intellectual
development. This is when children make
sense of the world in which they live by
acting out situations before they experience
them and by mimicking what they witness
around them. Most children are innately
imaginative and will happily chat away to
someone on their toy telephone or pretend
to travel to hospital in an ambulance made
from a cardboard box! This creativity must be
actively fostered!
Encouraging young children to embrace
physically active play is extremely beneficial
and necessary for their development. It
helps them to learn about the ever-changing
environment and gives them the opportunity
to use their whole body and develop their
gross motor skills. It can meet their multisensory
needs and will promote significant
health and well-being benefits. Whether it
is messy play, creative or role play, it is an
essential part of learning.
Play provides a platform through which
children are not only able to learn about the
world around them through interacting with it,
but it also gives them the opportunity to learn
about themselves. As play is fun, children’s
focus tends to be over a sustained period. In
turn, this helps children to develop the ability
to concentrate. It is important as parents not
to push your child too hard. Children develop
in their own ways and in their own time and,
rest assured, their levels of focus will steadily
augment.
It is imperative that children are given the
time ‘to be children’ and being able to play
is essential, if the aforementioned physical,
social, emotional and cognitive skills are to be
securely embedded.
Katie Paynter, head of pre-prep and EYFS at
Lochinver House School and IAPS pre-prep
and EY adviser
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