Coach's
Column
Amanda Gooch
July 1, 2024
Did you know that repetition in play is one of the secret superpowers in early childhood education?
In the following video, Sally Haughey from Wunderled - Fairy Dust Teaching, reviews the top five reasons repetition is beneficial for play based learning. In this video she teaches us how repetition helps give young children a sense of security, deepens learning and understanding and supports executive functioning and language development.
YouTube: Secret Superpower of Learning: Repetition
Rasmussen University gives us six reasons why play, specifically dramatic play, matters in early childhood education. Dramatic play teaches self-regulation and gives them an emotional outlet to have teachable moments for conflict resolution. Dramatic play also supports literacy and helps to develop your student’s creative thinking and storytelling ability. Dramatic play creates opportunities for you as the educator to support your students individually and encourage their own ideas. To learn more about how to encourage dramatic play in your classroom, click on the following link below:
In an age when play is often seen as frivolous or unproductive, Rae Pica's book ”Why Play?” explains the importance of play in early childhood education. Each chapter focuses on a specific type of play, includes suggestions for putting theory into practice, and offers recommendations for language and information educators can use to help parents understand that play is not separate from learning. ”Why Play?” highlights some of the most popular types of play, such as dramatic, cooperative and construction. This book shares why different modes of play are beneficial and how educators can facilitate these different types of play in early childhood settings. Whether used as a tool for advocacy or as a guide on how to use play, “Why Play?” is for everyone who believes children should have the chance to be children, and that child development should guide all our practices.
Wishing you the best,
Amanda & Todd
