The Importance Of Play In Schools
Play is one of the primary mechanisms children and young people use to learn about the world around them. Both natural and instinctive, play enables children to test their own abilities and learn and develop new skills and knowledge. As such play has a critical role in schools – offering both an outlet for expending energy during break times and as a means of contributing to learning through the curriculum.
The importance of schools as environments for play also cannot be understated. For many children and young people, the school playground represents the only open, accessible space available to them on a regular basis that allows them to engage in physically challenging and socially developmental outdoor play.
Just some examples of how play can help to reinforce curricular learning include:
Numeracy
Through play children explore mathematical concepts including the differing size, shape and weight of objects; through water play the volume of objects and water displacement and enhance their understanding of numbers by counting as part of traditional games.
Literacy
Play offers children an opportunity to communicate with others (both other children and adults) in ways that are usually not available to them, for example through imaginary play. As such play enhances language development skills and support increased levels of literacy.
Science
From the moment we are born we are scientists – exploring, experimenting, observing, testing, verifying our assumptions and making new discoveries about the world around us. Coincidentally these approaches are all key elements of play!
Geography & Natural Environment
Play in outdoor natural environments offers a multitude of opportunities to learn about geography and the world around them. From interacting with the natural environment – mud, trees, grass, stones – to searching for flora and fauna play can enhance and build on traditional classroom approaches to learning.
Health & Well-being
Play is the most natural and instinctive way for children to develop and maintain good health and well-being. Through physical play children can build active and healthy bodies, reducing obesity and helping to establish life-long physical activity patterns. Play also actively contributes to healthy brain development, enhances learning capacity and supports resilience.
Risk Assessment & Management
When given the opportunity through innovative and challenging play children are able to test out and challenge their abilities in a natural way, enhancing their capacity to assess and manage risk as they develop.
Connecting With Others
All children have a desire to play and, when given the opportunity to come together with children from other community and ethnic backgrounds through play, are able to develop social connections and develop positive relations.
Numeracy
Through play children explore mathematical concepts including the differing size, shape and weight of objects; through water play the volume of objects and water displacement and enhance their understanding of numbers by counting as part of traditional games.
Literacy
Play offers children an opportunity to communicate with others (both other children and adults) in ways that are usually not available to them, for example through imaginary play. As such play enhances language development skills and support increased levels of literacy.
Science
From the moment we are born we are scientists – exploring, experimenting, observing, testing, verifying our assumptions and making new discoveries about the world around us. Coincidentally these approaches are all key elements of play!
Geography & Natural Environment
Play in outdoor natural environments offers a multitude of opportunities to learn about geography and the world around them. From interacting with the natural environment – mud, trees, grass, stones – to searching for flora and fauna play can enhance and build on traditional classroom approaches to learning.
Health & Well-being
Play is the most natural and instinctive way for children to develop and maintain good health and well-being. Through physical play children can build active and healthy bodies, reducing obesity and helping to establish life-long physical activity patterns. Play also actively contributes to healthy brain development, enhances learning capacity and supports resilience.
Risk Assessment & Management
When given the opportunity through innovative and challenging play children are able to test out and challenge their abilities in a natural way, enhancing their capacity to assess and manage risk as they develop.
Connecting With Others
All children have a desire to play and, when given the opportunity to come together with children from other community and ethnic backgrounds through play, are able to develop social connections and develop positive relations.
For more on PlayBoard’s school training and play support programmes download Play Matters in Curriculum Planning.
For enquiries on PlayBoard’s work with schools email shauneen.mccusker@playboard.co.uk or telephone 028 9080 3380.
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