Children and Play?

Question

im doing my school work about children development through playing for pre-school children (0-7 years old)
and kinda need more infos and ideas in some questions, like:

1. can someone give me some examples of educational toys?
like lego, puzzle, blocks and such
what's more?

2. How do you think that us adult can give an/some inspiration(s) to children when theyre playing?

not so important additional questions:
3. What is play?

4. Why children play?

Thanks so much and ill be very grateful too if you also give me your sources if you find it from a website or book, i prefer facts but personal opinion works too

10 points for the best answer and credits in my work for everyone who gives me good information ;D

Answer 1

Educational toys: it's not a toy but a bingo game is educational, then you've got connecting kind of toys, counting toys.

Without knowing adults already give children inspiration but the best way is to get down to the childs' level and play along with them.

Answer 2

Puzzles, "unit blocks," and the like are educational, as they work on a number of skills and are also fun for children. Non-toxic art items - like crayons, markers, paints, playdough, etc. - are also wonderful for young children, and it usually keeps them enthralled for good periods of time. Try to steer clear of TV/computer based toys until they are at least in primary school; a number of studies have been done and have shown that, even though these toys can be educational for children who are older, they are detrimental to young children.

While we may not think of them as "educational," dress-up clothes, babies/dolls, toy cars, train sets, and play food and kitchen sets can all be very educational too. Children learn both fine and gross motor skills, and "pretend play" is very good for emotional, psychosocial, and cognitive development.

As adults, we can give children inspiration while they're playing by asking questions about what they're doing, what interests them. We can also introduce new toys, or new ways to use the old toys, to create a sense of inquisitiveness with children.

Finally, play is children having fun, and just being "children." They also learn a great deal about their bodies, their peers, and the world around them. Many parents ask why children are allowed to play all day in preschools or nurseries, but they fail to see that play is the most important thing in a young child's life for all aspects of development.

Answer 3

1. can someone give me some examples of educational toys?

Plastic gears, sandpiles, tinkertoys, dress-up clothes, dominoes, play food, pots and pans, toy animals...Is there a toy that isn't educational?

2. How do you think that us adult can give an/some inspiration(s) to children when theyre playing?

Simply ask curious questions occasionally and otherwise, stay out of it. My experience is that kids will find their own inspiration and the most important thing adults can often do is simply give them the space to play.


3. What is play?

Play is learning. It's how kid explore the world, themselves, social rules, etc. Watch children playing dolls and see them testing and controlling social rules and boundaries. Watch a child stringing beads and note how they're learning about patterns and sequence. Watch a child colouring and see how they're practicing fine motor skills.

4. Why children play?

To learn and because they enjoy it.

Answer 4

Read the following poem:
The Value of Play

You say that you love your children,
And are concerned that they learn today,
As am I, that's why I'm providing
A variety of kinds of play.

You are asking what's the value
Of having your children play?
Your daughter's creating a tower,
She may be a builder someday.

You're asking me the value
Of blocks and sand and clay.
Your children are solving problems,
They will use that skill every day.

You're saying that you don't want your son
To play in that sissy way.
He's learning to cuddle a doll,
He may be a father someday.

You're questioning the interest centers,
They just look like useless play.
Your children are making choices,
They'll be on their own someday.

You're worried your children aren't learning
And later they'll have to pay.
They're learning a pattern for learning,
For they'll be learners always.

~NAEYC
And here's the web site where I found it:
http://stepbystepcc.com/poemsaboutplay.html
That should pretty much answer all your questions!

Answer 5

1. construction toys, art supplies, books
2. Adults can inspire by playing with the child.
3. Play is amusing oneself with objects or other people.
4. Not only children but adults benefit from play in these ways
enjoyment, fun, love of life
relaxation, release of energy, tension reduction
self-expression

Answer 6

A child needs to play and interact with others. They develop mentally, emotionally and physically through this. If we really want a child to learn, we have got to make it interesting for them.Talking to a child and doing things with them help. To give a child a toy is not enough. They have got to be willing to push their brain a little so it will soak in more knowledge. This is where we have to get the child so he wants to learn. You can not force a person to be interested in anything. We "tease" their brain so it wants to learn. Anything can be an educational device.

Answer 7

1. Art supplies, dress up, books
2. Adults inspire children by playing with them and by being role models.....example, you can't teach good nutrition when the children see you eating fast food.
3 and 4. Play is how the children learn. You can't expect them to sit there and hear a lecture to learn. They learn by hands-on

Answer 8

1. UNO - learn numbers, colors, and follow instructions.

2. Enthusiasm - Forget about who we are when playing with them, no constrain, no gap between, follow the leader in that game which you are playing.

3. You can find the defination of "Play" here:
http://education.yahoo.com/reference/dictionary/entry/play

4. Burns energy, to grow, and also, kids are very curious.
Other than that, I couldn't think of what a kid will be doing if not playing.
(This is out from the logic, to my personal opinion, it is also we adult that define them. Because at this age, we couldn't find a defination for them as "working" since they are so young. If a 2 year old sitting there and figuring the blocks, to us we called it "playing with the blocks" but to the kids, he/she might be scratching their heads out for what is this and how to make it stack! urrrgh....)