A girl builds a structure
Recently, during a popular morning radio show, the presenter asked for one key activity that can be used to “improve mathematical skills” for very young children. I phoned in and in the one-minute space between my call and the 7AM news bulletin, I tried to explain how play forms the foundation for maths and language development. Disappointingly, the presenter felt that he still did not get the answer — that one thing that can be done to kick-start better abilities and skills in mathematics. My heart sank … It was as if play was the proverbial four-letter word that kept kids from learning.
I realised that we might be stuck in a “fast-food culture” understanding of how children develop and learn. This radio conversation makes me think we are trapped in a notion that there is a quick fix — one, singular thing/action that will do the magic — to kick-start a trajectory/process of performance, prosperity and success. In doing so, however, we miss the most important part of laying a foundation to succeed, and we compromise quality learning at the expense of “fast-food” learning.
Play is continuously misunderstood, and very often seen as being only frivolous and entertaining. The critical importance of play as one of the essential foundations in children’s learning, development and wellbeing is overlooked or seen as a “side event” in the development of human beings. This creates a challenge to be addressed through concrete actions, evidence and advocacy, and requires dedication, perseverance and champions.
Two weeks after my one-minute radio phone-in, I found myself at the Lego Idea Conference in Billund, Denmark, inspired to explore, with the foremost experts in the world, quality in learning. It was indeed reaffirming to hear that play is central to early learning and scaffolds development and mastery of essential and important executive function skills. Our children need to be ready for the opportunities and challenges of the 21st century and play brings together essential skills through quality learning that will support success in the early years, in the classroom and in the future world of work. Quality does not necessarily fit neatly in a box. It will not allow itself to be rigidly defined, standardised and subjected to tests. Quality is active, playful, explorative, and co-operative; it accumulates the skills and knowledge needed from the start, which are rooted in play, and carries us into a future filled with hope, prospects and opportunities.
Quality in early learning and development is engaging, future-oriented, progressive, exploratory, incremental, timely, flexible, inclusive, creative, outcome-focused, and more — all woven into the tapestry of play.
Someone asked me what we are doing in South Africa to support play, and more importantly, play-based learning. I rattled off policies and documents that clearly show a national-level commitment to endorse learning through play.
I felt obliged to add that, nonetheless, there are persistent challenges. Play is not well understood and utilised as being integral to children’s learning and development, and play-based learning is not continuously practiced in early childhood development programmes and foundation phase education. Thus, there is a recognised need for support and training that will enhance the capacity of parents, other primary caregivers, early childhood development practitioners and foundation phase educators to facilitate early learning that is rooted in play.
Improving the quality of early learning in an active manner and laying a foundation to achieve not only ensures that children have the abilities to engage with the challenges of the 21st century, it also advances the goals set out in South Africa’s National Development Plan 2030as well as the global Sustainable Development Goals. The world we want starts with a commitment to the importance of play in learning and development … daily, and for life.
Play is not four-letter word: it is an empowering word filled with concepts, ideas and surprises that carefully and meticulously facilitate quality learning and lays the foundations that will advance humanity.
André Viviers is an education specialist (Early Childhood Development) at Unicef South Africa.
Originally published by Unicef on https://blogs.unicef.org/blog/play-not-four-letter-word/
Essential facts about play
Play is the foundation for early learning in South Africa
The importance of play as a right of all children and in early learning and development is deeply embedded in South African policies and laws. Play is one of the key areas identified in the National Plan of Action for Children in South Africa: 2012- 2017, establishing it as a right of children, and being important for learning, linking it to recreation, and that children with disabilities must be included in play. Similarly the Children’s Act No. 38 of 2005 sets out that engagement in play is an important considera- tion when dealing with children. In addition, in the department of health’s The Road to Health booklet, the importance of play is emphasised as part of the health promotion messages, together with feeding practices and communication advice.
The South African National Curriculum Framework for Children from Birth to Four entrenches play as the cornerstone for all learning for young children. It outlines how babies and young children learn when they play. This focus on play-based learning continues and is further enhanced in the National Curriculum Statement: Foundation Phase for children from grades R to three.
The recently approved National Integrated Early Childhood Development Policy sets out play as one of the underpinning principles of the policy and as an essential part of early learning and development.
While the importance of play is well captured in the policy and curriculum statements, it is more important that it is understood and implemented by parents, caregivers, practitioners, health professionals, educators, social workers and other persons working with young children. It requires knowledge and action — our future depends on it.
Play is the key that parents can use to unlock their children’s potentialChildren love to play. In play children are given the opportunity to use their imagination, be creative, problem-solve, socialise, communicate and develop a range of skills required to be successful in formal education. Too often parents, practitioners and adults disregard the importance of play in early childhood. This is evident when parents insist that children stop playing in the sand pit and insist that learning has to happen with a pen and paper in hand. Quite the opposite is required if we want our children to be learning. They should be playing: as they learn as they play. If an adult is able to play alongside the child, talking to the child about what they are doing, powerful learning in the child is unlocked.
Play can include children with disabilities in early childhood development
Play is a facilitative and essential tool to ensure that children with disabilities participate fully in an inclusive and rights-respecting society.
The Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities is very clear that “children with disabilities have equal access with other children to participation in play, recreation and leisure and sport- ing activities, including those activities in the school system”.
Play should counter gender stereotypes
Play is often the mechanism through which children learn gender-specific behaviour and, unfortunately, more often than not, it is the tool through which stereotypical gender roles and expectations are reinforced by parents, families, communities and educators alike.
Play also provides us with a powerful means to counter stereotypes, teach children about gender equality, tolerance, empathy and sharing while inculcating the value of promoting peace, equality and healthy relationships.