Children learn best through play in safe, stimulating environments. They require warm relationships with critical adults and plenty of free time to try different activities to achieve this goal.
Playtime looks different for every age group: infants learn through interactive games like peekaboo that teach object permanence; older kids engage in dramatic play to enhance linguistic and storytelling capabilities.
Learning through play
While play may be enjoyable entertainment for children, research indicates it can also be an invaluable form of education. Research shows that children learn most effectively while engaged in interactive play – something that has a lasting effect on all areas of development.
Children gain valuable insights into their world through play – discovering their surroundings, trying out new activities, and exploring nature. Furthermore, playing fosters social development by building friendships and learning to interact with others.
Play-based learning differs from academic programs by offering more ‘playful learning experiences.’ Our Learn and Play daycare firmly believes in this form of education, believing children to be powerful learners with immense capacity. To deliver this service, all teachers at Learn and Play Daycare are trained in NAEYC’s Framework for Developmental Practice and David Elkind’s The Power of Play by NAEYC/NAELYC.
Social skills
Social skills are an integral component of children’s development. They help children form relationships, understand themselves and others’ emotions, and develop healthy social behaviors that will benefit them throughout life. Such skills include generosity, helping others out when necessary and, taking turns, listening attentively in an environment with safety and trust as top priorities; these lessons may even be learned through play – parents can encourage these skills by encouraging play between friends or family members; engaging them in cooking or art projects which promote interaction can further facilitate socialization and learning.
Daycare settings provide children with an ideal opportunity to hone their social skills and explore more of the world around them, especially toddler and preschool-age children who may be transitioning out of familiar home environments for the first time. Socialization can be challenging at first, but its importance cannot be overstated in future success for these youngsters.
No matter their age, it’s always essential that parents locate an excellent daycare for their child’s early development and ensure they receive plenty of socialization and playing opportunities. This will give your children the best chance at developing critical lifelong skills such as social interaction and confidence for independence.
Physical development
Physical play helps children develop muscle mass and coordination. They also experience tactile sensations from wooden blocks, soft plush toys, wet paint, and more.
Group activities, like parachute games, promote coordination and teamwork skills while recess and other outdoor adventures build motor skills. Artistic movements such as drawing can strengthen fine motor abilities, while dramatic play helps hone linguistic, cognitive, and self-regulation abilities.
All these skills are essential for children’s learning and growth, so daycare centers excel at including purposeful play in daily routines. Tracking children’s development through playful learning provides parents peace of mind while teachers and providers can better support individual children’s individual needs. Vine Assessments is an invaluable resource for any childcare center; with its comprehensive platform, you can quickly assess children’s progress against developmental milestones. For more information, visit our website; to register, sign up for a free trial version!
Creative expression
Creative activities are essential in helping children develop cognitive skills from an early age, giving them opportunities to use language, consider critically what’s happening around them, express emotions visually through visual communication, and build their fine motor skills through art, music, or movement.
Children require ample opportunity to experiment and play with creative materials, selecting and using them according to their ages and learning abilities. Young infants need interesting materials brought directly to them while they’re on the floor; mobile infants benefit from open-ended creative experiences that enable them to explore their surroundings at their own pace; toddlers enjoy engaging in self-expressive activities that challenge them while providing them with autonomy in decision making; while school-agers require engaging in more complex creative experiences with other peers collaborating on imaginative adventures.
Creative activities foster creativity, develop social-emotional skills, and nurture the whole child. Playing with water, exploring nature, or using art to express feelings and thoughts are great ways for kids to build relationships with teachers, caregivers, and peers while encouraging expression through creative experiences. Family child care providers should provide access to materials appropriate to each child’s developmental needs to foster creativity in children.
