University Name: Early Childhood Education, Play-Based Learning Report

This report delves into the significance of play-based learning in early childhood education, emphasizing its role in shaping children's skills and development. It highlights the benefits of early childhood programs, particularly the play-based approach, which encourages children's natural ...Read More

Running head: EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION
EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION
Name of the Student
Name of the University
Author Note

1EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION
Introduction
An early start to life is considered to be the foundation that paves way for the future
development. Children who join the early childhood program are benefitted and also their
parents. Early childhood programs help students to grow a sense of belonging among the
classroom ad as well as the society that helps the overall development of the students. This paper
puts emphasis on the play based learning and how it helps to shape up the skills and the
development of the children at a very early stage that helps the students in their future and also
help them to take decisions and have a perspective in life.
Discussion
Early childhood programs help students for the overall development and also help the
students to develop many skills that may be beneficial for them in the future. There are many
techniques and designs that are introduced to ensure the learning of the students (Elango et al,
2017). However the play based learning method is one of the most effective ways that has helped
the students to learn in a non traditional manner which paves way for learning in a fun way.
Play based learning is a type of learning through which the children make sense and
organize their social world by engaging actively with their classmates or peers, representations
and objects. This play based learning encourages the natural curiosity of the children and their
desire to involve in experiences that are mainly based o their strengths and interests. The word
play is symbolic that possesses a great value on the children in developing skills that may be
helpful in the near future (Robertson, Morrissey & Rouse, 2018). In this type of learning children
may explore several different materials while playing. Playing with their classmates help them to
socialize, develop cognitive skills, social competence and enhance their imagination power.

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A design that may help the children in their early childhood setting is the following:
Holistic approach: The learning here will be organic and will also be based on cooperation. The
teacher needs to pre plan the ways he or she is going to help the children. If a child loves flowers
then it is evident that the child loves flowers then the teacher will try to tell the child more about
the flowers like what are the parts called and how they grow so that the children gain knowledge
on their interest. This approach will help the student gain knowledge through engaging direct
with the environment and communicating with the teachers (MacQuarrie, Nugent & Warden,
2015). This will also help the students to communicate with other children in the classroom that
will help sharing ideas and knowledge.
Responsive to children: In this approach the teachers need to analyze the progress of a child
based on variety of sources like the capabilities, interests and the knowledge of the students. The
teachers should provide the children with activities to explore, think, communicate, solve
problems, construct and create (McNally & Slutsky, 2018). Then the teachers need to conduct
playing and learning techniques that will help to promote and also use the practices that will help
the children in their development ad learning. Here the teachers should not impose rules unless it
is for the safety of the children. The teacher must provide the children with a rich and high
sensory experience that should involve smell, sound, sight and movement (Ziv, 2016). The
teacher will help the students with their emotional situations and social skills while being holistic
and fun.
Learning through play: The teachers should ensure that the play is pleasurable and the children
are interested. The play should be voluntary and spontaneous and has an element of make
believe. The play should involve creativity like building blocks, drawing, finding objects and

3EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION
many more. Playing enhances the imagination of the children and helps the children to create
images that portray their thoughts, ideas and feelings (Adams, Bull & Maynes,m2016).
Learning environment: Learning is not only bounded in the four walls of a classroom rather
learning has no limits. The children should be taken to places where they might enjoy learning
more and connecting to the environment. The teachers have to choose the place based on the
interests of the children.
Intentional teaching: In this approach the teachers will have to assess and make an effort to relate
to the children. The teachers have to make decisions by thinking about the consequences and be
more thoughtful. The teachers will participate with them and implement strategies in order to
identify the interests, ideas and the practices that the children follow so that she can make plans
that cater to their needs to help them learn (Edwards, 2017).
Cultural competence: It is important for the teachers to make sure that the children communicate
with other students. Teachers will have to enhance their ability to communicate, understand and
effectively interact with other children in the classroom irrespective of their culture (Kale &
Luke, 2017).
This program designed mainly focuses on the learning of the children in the best way
possible with the involvement of fun and play. The primary focus of the program is to make sure
the children learn lessons and they have a sense of belonging that will help in their overall
development (Hedefalk, Almqvist, Östman, 2015). The program has been made based on the
play based learning. The play based learning has had many positive outcomes and this program
will help the children as well as the teachers achieve the goals. This program puts emphasis on
the children and their relationship between nature or the environment and them this program

4EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION
paves way for a on traditional method that makes sure through playing games and interacting
students learn and understand the environment.
This program follows the Early Childhood planning cycle. In the planning cycle it states
that the first step is to observe. Here the teachers observe and assess the needs and the interests
of the children. The second step is to question that what will be the suitable play that the children
will be interested in and what will help the children to learn things in a fun and in a better
manner. The next step is to plan. Based on this the teachers will chalk out a plan after analyzing
the interests and getting possible solutions from the questions asked (McLachlan, Fleer &
Edwards, 2018). The next step is to act; the teachers will implement those plans. Here based on
the interest and the needs the teacher will introduce a new game or a play that will help the
student to learn and imagine that will enhance the learning of the students. The last step is to
reflect. The teacher will analyze how the children are learning through play and what difficulties
they are facing that will later help the teachers to understand how they are reacting to the
atmosphere and make necessary changes in order to help the children learn better (Britto et al,
2017).
An entire day program that will cater to the needs of the children.
TIME ACTIVITY
1. 8:45 - 9:00 A.M
Arrival of the children. The children need time to
settle down. During this time the children need to
take their seat, keep their bags and be prepared for
the class.

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2. 9:30
Free play. This time will help the children to play
with their classmates the way they want to without
any boundaries that will pave for the social
interaction and also learning. During this time the
children will choose activities independently.
3. 10:00
Circle time. This will be a structured time for the
children and will be asked by the teacher’s to
practice listening skills and self-regulation. The
activities will be like listening to stories, finger
plays, sing songs and many more
4. 10:30
Activity time. This will be the time when the
children will be encouraged to independently
choose any skill or activity that will be facilitated
by the teachers during this time. The activities will
include art, building blocks, mathematics,
language, books, science and many more.
5. 11:00
Lunch or snack time

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6. 11:40
Outdoor activity. This time the children will go
outside to play in the parks that are designed for
them in the school premises. They will connect to
nature and play with their classmates in the park.
7. 12:15
Dismissal. The routine will be closed for the day.
The children will be helped to pack their bags and
then leave and be prepared for the following day.
This routine ensures that the children will be able to experience and do all the activities.
The time span has been exclusively chosen for the children as children get bored easily and they
like changes in their routine. Children find difficult to learn in a monotonous environment. The
routine includes activities that align with the play based learning. This routine will be helpful and
suitable for the children to learn and have fun at the same time.

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Children are seen playing with building blocks
The pictures show the children building blocks that helps the children carry out activities
and understand the different shapes and helps in building. This helps the children to develop their
motor skills and paves way for cognitive development.

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Children watering plants as a part of the outdoor activity
This picture shows the children watering plants and understanding the nature with the
guidance of their teachers. This paves way for the social development where the children
understand about the nature and the environment.

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Children teacher communication
This picture shows the students doing works and showing it to their teacher. This
enhances their communication skills and helps them to interact with others.
These show the learning of the children in a high quality early childhood setting. This
shows that the children just do not learn about new playing methods or things that are related to
academy but they learn things that will help them in the future. The pictures prove that the play
based learning paves way for the sustainable development of the children. The children are
learning to communicate and interact with the teachers and the students. Here the children are
also learning about the environment that is necessary. This learning is ensuring the overall
development of the children.

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This paper concludes by stating that the play-based learning is an effective way of
helping students learn their lessons in a fun way that will help the children to be interested. This
learning method helps to keep the children motivated and help them to develop an optimistic
attitude towards the learning. The Play-based learning provides the children a nurturing, secure
and safe setting. However there are problems in the play based learning that also distracts the
children from learning things that are constructive because of the playing and the lack of rules
that help to monitor the class environment.

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Reference
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Britto, P. R., Lye, S. J., Proulx, K., Yousafzai, A. K., Matthews, S. G., Vaivada, T., ... &
MacMillan, H. (2017). Nurturing care: promoting early childhood development. The
Lancet, 389(10064), 91-102.
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Elango, S., García, J. L., Heckman, J. J., & Hojman, A. (2015). Early childhood education. In
Economics of Means-Tested Transfer Programs in the United States, Volume 2 (pp. 235-
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Kale, J., & Luke, A. (2017). Learning through difference: Cultural practices in early childhood
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McNally, S., & Slutsky, R. (2018). Teacher–child relationships make all the difference:
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