The role of play in early childhood education

Play is an essential component during the early years of a child’s education. It works on various aspects, which ensures the overall holistic development of children.

Many studies have shown that playing has several benefits for children’s education and should be an integral part of early childhood education.

In recent times, many educational institutions have placed emphasis on the role of play in children’s education. They are adding numerous extracurricular activities, including playing and other physical-related activities, to their curriculum to ensure that children get valuable life experiences during their early years.

The emphasis laid by these educational institutions is definitely due to the multi-dimensional role of play, which builds certain attributes in children during the early years, which in turn also helps them during their youth stage and after that.

1. develop cognitive skills

Playing enables the children to make decisions independently, which results in building certain cognitive abilities such as problem-solving and critical and innovative thinking.

2. Build social relationships.

Children play in groups, which allow them to communicate with each other. It ensures that children build trust and faith in each other.

Also, children develop better communication and speaking skills during their interactions with their mates.

3. emotional development

While playing, children face different kinds of emotions at the same time. For instance, a child becomes angry and disappointed while playing, but simultaneously they can feel happiness and excitement.

This ensures that children attain the power to control their emotions.

4. Develop a scientific temper

There are many games where the rules of science and mathematics are applied. Children, while engaging in those games, apply those principles, thus building their scientific temper.

5. physical development

Developing physical ability is as important as mental ability. Children who are more active in playing outdoor games show proactiveness in their participation in the classroom and better results in academics as well.

Thus, from the above points, it is justified that play is an important component in early childhood education as much as academic knowledge.

However, in recent times, the time spent by children playing has reduced considerably. This is due to the rise of the digital age. Children are spending more time on digital gadgets than ever.

Such increasing overdependence on digital gadgets has many consequences that are not good for children in their early childhood years and thereafter as well.

For instance, it has been found that children who use mobile phones and tablets frequently disrupt their mental stability. They become lethargic, get annoyed easily, and also show signs of anxiety.

Along with that, it also deteriorates the physical condition of children. It may be possible that children may get diagnosed with child wasting or obesity.

Therefore, it is important to ensure that children do not get addicted to digital gadgets and take more part in playing games and outdoor sports. Both educational institutions and parents should put their efforts diligently into making their children proactive in games and sports.

Such diligent efforts have been rightly placed by many NGOs related to education. For instance, Pehchaan, the street school, is a Delhi-based NGO that works towards education for children living in slum areas.

The street school has given equal care to both academics and playing. It encourages their children to engage in extracurricular activities like sports, plays, group-based games, etc., to ensure that children get the right nurturing during their early years of childhood.

Thus, the curriculum made by Pehchaan, the street school, should become a model for other educational institutions, and they should follow such practices.

Apart from that, playing should also be mentioned in the national education policy. The government should also consider the importance of play in early childhood education. Implementation of such a policy at the national level will ensure that each child is getting the right kind of education.

Though it is right that books are given more importance than extracurricular activities like playing, the latter should not be ignored either.

Knowledge gained by children through books only ensures their memory becomes stronger, but playing enables the children to apply knowledge in the real world.