Why is play important for the preschool child, in regards to all domains of development?

Answer 1

Well I'm not sure about the "all domains of development" part but I'll try to answer your question. As an education and psychology major and also a single mother and preschool assistant teacher, I believe that play is very very important in the development of a child. If you look at Erikson's early stages of psychosocial development and the crisises that the children face then you can see how play is important. (or other theorists... ummm Piaget, Kohlberg might help as well). A good example of Erikson's theory is a young child playing dressup. By modeling their parents, a movie star or singer, or even a superhero helps them develop the skills they will need later in life (during adolescence Identity vs. Role Confusion) because it teaches them flexibilty within themselves and their abilities. If they do not master this skill then they may have trouble developing their own sense of identity.

Not to mention, play makes learning much more fun for the children and also helps to keep them interested. Their are several good articles out there about using play with preschool children. Try checking Google Scholar (you'll have to click "more" on the Google drop down menu)