What is Play?
“Play teaches children about symbols, solving conflicts, and taking turns. Play is the perfect opportunity for children to address their needs and for adults to support their development. Through Play, children learn the cognitive and interaction skills they need to become successful in later school settings and adulthood. Thoughtfully planned play experiences give children the opportunity to learn readiness skills. Play provides children with the opportunity to work out experiences that have confused or hurt them. Children take risks in play that allow them to learn new things. They try on a variety of roles and behaviours as they begin to learn who they are. They learn to control their emotions and behaviours as well as find out what they can’t control about others. Play provides an opportunity for children to be creative, to be enthusiastic about their own ideas, and to get lost in thought. Play is fun.” (Heidemann 2010)
