Parents Perspective on Play - Coursework Example

Parent’s Perspective on Play Student’s Name: Institutional Affiliation: Parent’s Perspective on Play Introduction Young children’s early education serves as a preparation for any formal education, and aids developing of basic skills that assist children deal with more challenging tasks such as learning how to read. Studies have demonstrated that play that is guided can be a method that is very effective for young children (O’Connor & Diggins, 2002). Parents play a pivotal role in preparation of their children for elementary school and kindergarten. Assisting children’s play at home and enhancing learning before the commencement of any formal education is one way that parents support learning. When a child begins pre-school age, parents have a responsibility of selecting a program of early education that will continue preparing their children to have a breakthrough in future. Parents who have knowledge in play can support and recognize its application in the preschool classroom (McLennan, Ryan & Spooney, 2000). Researchers and educators realize the significance of parental role as children learn and develop through the early years. Both parents and educators would like children to get a quality education that supports learning. Teachers who incorporate play in their school curriculum understand how significant it is that parents take play seriously as well as the learning process. 1st Parents’ views on play From the interview excerpts, (Ivy’s mother), the first parent views play as an important component in the child development. The busy lives of parents distract them from attending to their children to emphasize on play. Play is essential. Children discover so much regarding themselves along with the world in which they live in. The parent’s social model is very evident in his memory since he used to autism stuff. Children expand their grasp of things and personality through trying out different things and learning different ways of interacting. The first parent contends that he has no time to play with his child although she values play. She goes further to explain that he caters for play by providing various types of toys to the child. She expects the child to use different toys in exploring various aspects of life. Play assists in correcting behavioral problems. Many things can be learnt from play which includes preferences, social skills, beliefs, academic skills, shapes, color and other visual aspects. Play is an importance means of learning. Play is important for child development. The view of the parent on play reflects some of the theoretical perspectives that have been described by theorists. 1st Parents’ experiences of play The parent played just inadvertently. Ivy has all the time she wants for her play unless she is doing a structured activity. The child has three structured activities every week. Ivy has not started to instigated play on her own as expressed by her mother. The child uses the ball most of the time. The mother thinks that play can help a child overcome her fears. The children do different things depending on the energy that they have. The parent advises others to initiate play in their children and not assume that play comes naturally. Children have to be supported when it comes to structured activities. Ivy’s agrees that she does not relish the idea of violent games among children. The mother prefers plastic toys, which are less harmful to her daughter. Each culture has its own way of expressing play among the children. The parents foresee change of activities in play as the children grow older. Ivy’s mother explains that play has tremendously encouraged communication among her children. Motor skills and know have improved tremendously. 2st Parents’ views on play The second parent agrees that play is an important tool of making children learn. She contends that play is extremely import in her children life. She say that through play her children have learnt how to take turns and how to share; they have learn communication and basic rules of mathematics. Children learn how to divide things among themselves. The children have developed their communication skills through play. Although the younger one, Jude has not grasped well how to communicate, he passes own his message through grants. The children prefer plays that do not require many rules or no rules at all. The children engage in play even in their roles at home. The parent values play a lot and support the children in the play. The parent feels good when the children enjoy their play. The second parent does not see it as her responsibility to set the stage for children to play. She provides toys where she can. She expects the older children to direct the direction of the play. Previously in her life she catered for play supporting art craft activities. The parent sees play as very essential for the development of the child. Play has enabled the children learn how to communicate and socialize. The parent has a fond memory of her childhood play experiences since she had many exploration activities. In Argentina, it was all fun until when they moved to Australia where there were no many relatives to play with. In Australia, there were older kids whom parent could not play with, and consequently the playing activities went down tremendously. 2nd Parents’ experiences of play The parents never felt like she was playing in her recollection of her childhood. The passing away of her parents affected the play life of the second parent. After the elapse of a period of mourning, play resumed once more. The types of plays changed from what was being played in Argentina. This parent regards play to very important in life. Play helps children to overcome misery and loneliness as was the case of the parent in her childhood. Play was a way of escape to a fantasy world. Play is important in the learning of the child. For this parent, it is always play time for her children since she knows its importance in the development of the child. Sometimes the children continue their play from where they left. Play among children goes through different stages as they grow. The parent agrees that play can help children work through circumstances. Play can be a social experience which influences unsocial behavior. The parent sees play as an opportunity of children to have fun. She observes that her children always want to play. Unlike the first parent, she explains that her children will play regardless of their energy levels. The children only vary their play activities according to the amount of energy that they have. This parent does not fix any constraints for her children when playing. She has the perspective that children will play despite the circumstances that they are in. She thinks that every culture has a unique way of play. Children in less developed countries depend on imagination to stimulate their sensors since do not have lots of material things. The parent believes that her children would be in a position to come up with something like a ball as compared to the African children. The children have improved tremendously their communication skills. Contemporary theoretical perspectives on play Contemporary theories like the Piagetian theory views growth as a process that is continuous which commences at birth and persist through life; going through major stages, which include sensorimotor, preoperational, concrete operational and formal operational. The children of the two parents engage in different activities at different stages. The second parent say she now engages in art craft making for her children. Initially she could take part in initiation of play. This indicates that the children are growing through stages as outlined by Piagetian theory. Psychoanalytic theories hold that views play as a safe setting for expression of impulses and emotions which are not allowed in reality; play is regarded as a cathartic experience (Brownlee, 2007). Play is avenues for inventiveness and mastery development-for making children feel competent within their environment and able to influence the world around them. The first parent is happy about her daughter mastery of various skills during play. There are various approaches of play therapy. Surplus energy theory views play as an aimless expenditure of exuberant energy. Play is not seen as significant to development, but a way of achieving a state of balance in an individual. This theory has a limitation of seeing play as aimless. In the real sense, play is not aimless (Podmore, 2006).  The theory does not take into account different types of play. It also leaves out explaining how people use play as a means through which they relax. Recreational theory views play as a means through which energy is restored in an individual. People engage in play for the purpose of recreation rather than from necessity or for business. Children engage in play since their brain is not fully developed and consequently concentration, abstract activity, and use of small muscle are not possible (Berger, 2007). This theory is applicable participants in the interview since they view play as revising the moods of the children. Play gives a chance to children to utilize parts of their brain that are developed. This theory has the limitation of lacking any backing from neurological evidence. It also does not cater for play that happen in the context of mental or physical activity. Catharsis theory holds that play provides an opportunity for the safe expressing of pent-up emotions. Play is also seen as an appropriate means of using instincts in a way that is socially tolerable. The theory has a limitation of not accounting for the activity within the play (MacNaughton & Williams, 2008). Modulation theory or arousal seeking theory is derived from theories of behavior. Play is viewed as a means of maintenance of a balanced level of arousal. Bronfenbrenners ecological systems theory is closely linked the second parent childhood experience. He experienced different systems like macrosystem, exosystem, and microsystem as expostulated by the theory. The upbringing in Argentina was hilarious since there many people to play with. Cousins and other family members provided additional company. Being orphaned at a young age led to a distorted play time for the second parent. Play assisted her in overcoming the misery and loneliness that he had to encounter. Therefore, Bronfenbrenners theory is strongly depicted in this illustration. The life in different environments indicates the application of Bronfenbrenners theory in the life of the second parent. Bronfenbrenner’s theory explains different relations in society and the engagement that a person has with the environment. The child has also a system of environment with which he relaters to. Metacommunicative theory has also been widely demonstrated in the interviews by both parents. This theory relates to communication during play. Activities that the children engage in and the environment stimulate them to respond to stimuli that relates to communication. Through play the children of both parents are engaged activates that have assisted them to communicate. The second parent even says that her younger son, Jude, has also learned to communicate although he can only grunt. The play has increased communication as well as socialization in the children. It is balance between novel and familiar experiences. These theories have been applied by the parents interviewed for this assignment. The commonalities and contradictions found in participants Commonalities The two parents view play as very important in the development of a child. They agree that basic skills in a child’s life are acquired through play. The two parents are in agreement that play can be used to make the child to overcome bad experience or get over a horrible memory. They also concur that play is important in the learning of the child. Children acquire important skills in life through play. Communication and socializing are some of the important skills which are acquired by children during play time. Contradictions The first parent says that her children play according to the amount of energy they possess. She says that her children change their activities according to the energy that they have. The second parent is of the view that children play all the time despite the level of energy that they posses. The second parent does not take active engagement in the child play apart from buying toys for them. The second parent took part actively in child play when she had first child. The coming of other children allowed her to leave the duty of play planning to the children themselves. The first parent is involved actively in planning for child play besides buying toys for them. Value the role of play in learning Parents view play as being very important in the growth of the child. Parents acknowledge that children learn through play. Theoretical considerations often presented on play have discussed ably the significance of play for cognition and learning. Most articles and textbooks on play have fallen short of providing a comprehensive theory of play that incorporates the enormous properties of culture (Schirrmacher, 2009). Even the Association for Play study have failed to address this issue as it pertains to child-child and parent-child play. Biosocial factors both reproductive and somatic, influence parent-child participation. The literature on parent-child play comprises of activities involving mother-child. Paternal investing in children, of whom participation is a factor, goes beyond biological concerns. Play is regarded as a natural way through which children learn about the world and themselves. Play is seen as an integral part to children’s development and learning and is considered as a main part of the curriculum for children who are still young (Dockett & Fleer, 2003). Educators of early childhood in Western countries have been hugely influenced by ideas concerning the value of play as an activity and theories of child development. Analyses of research on play indicate the importance of play to various aspects of children development and learning. Play gives an opportunity to children to explore beyond what they know and what they are. Young children’s experiences of play are to a big margin influenced by perceptions and beliefs held by teachers of early childhood. Early childhood education is supported by a robust and strong belief which holds that play is very fundamental to development and learning. Mandatory requirements need early childhood teachers to value and acknowledge play for children as they implement, plan, and evaluate curriculum for children whereby children’s play is regarded as meaningful. Play combines uses many activities that theorists view as increasing development (Crow & Connell, 2003). Play is significant for a child who is developing and offers constant growing and learning experiences. Piaget focused on how children in the stage of preoperational learn best via hands-on manipulation. Play gives a chance to children to manipulate the environment and objects around them. Play falls under Piaget terminology of active education since it is fun and interesting for children, and it supports exploration and cooperation (Feeney, Christensen & Moravick, 2006). When the children reach the level of advancement and engage in pretend play, they are developing their capacity to deal with objects and concepts which are absent in their physical environment that is immediate. They gain the ability of thinking about things abstractly and using mental representation. Conclusion It has been proved that play is very important in the growth of a child. The parents interviewed for this assignment have demonstrated the role of parents in initiating play for their children. Parents have a role to play in creating an environment that supports the children’s play. The different contemporary theories about play support the perspectives held by parents. The two parents have demonstrated that there are more commonalities than contradictions when it comes to parents’ perspective on play. Children have to be supported when it comes to structured activities. References Berger, K.  (2007). The developing person through the lifespan (7th ed.). New York, NY:  Worth Publishers. Brownlee, P.  (2007). Magic places: Young children’s creative artwork. Auckland, NZ:  New Zealand Playcentre Federation. Crow, R., & Connell, G.  (2003). Moving to learn. Christchurch, NZ:  The Caxton Press. Dockett, S., & Fleer, M. (2003). Play and pedagogy in early childhood education: Bending the rules. Melbourne. Cengage Learning Feeney, S., Christensen, D. & Moravick, E.  (2006). Who am I in the lives of children?  A guide to teaching young children.  (7th ed.).  Upper Saddle River, NJ:  Prentice Hall. MacNaughton, G., & Williams, G. (2008). Techniques for teaching young children: Choices in theory and practice.  (2nd ed.).  Melbourne:  Longman. McLennan, G., Ryan, A. & Spooney, P.  (2000). Exploring society: sociology for New Zealand students. Auckland: Pearson O’Connor, A., & Diggins, C. (2002). On reflection: Reflective practice for early childhood educators. Lower Hutt:  Open Mind Publishing. Podmore, V. N.  (2006). Observation: origins and approaches to early childhood research and practice. Wellington:  New Zealand Council for Educational Research. Schirrmacher, R. (2009). Art and creative development for young children. Clifton Park, NY.Thomson Delmar Learning Read More