Learning through Play

1. Learning through Play

2. Why learn through play? • Developmentally appropriate – EYFS curriculum built around it; • Build relationships – Personal, Social & Emotional Development • Creativity – Expressive Arts & Design • Develop language – Communication & Language • Build strength – Physical Development • Build blocks for specific areas of learning – Literacy, Maths & Understanding the World • Problem-solving skills – Maths

3. Types of Play • Physical play • Games with rules • Creative play • Language play • Pretend play

4. Physical Play • Develops gross motor skills – large movements such as running, jumping, skipping • Develops fine motor skills – smaller actions such as cutting, holding a pencil, threading • Physical Development = one of the prime areas of the EYFS curriculum. • 2 strands; Moving and Handling & Health and Self-Care

5. Physical Play Examples Gross Motor Play Fine Motor Play Puzzles & jigsaws Construction Threading Playdough • Play games outside – space to run • Climbing frames, balancing, swings etc • Building dens • Ring games • Dancing to music

7. Games with rules • Following instructions • Dealing with emotions associated with winning & losing • Turn-taking opportunities • Often develop other learning too e.g maths/literacy • Understanding of following rules • Communication and Language = one of the prime areas of the EYFS curriculum. • 3 strands; Listening and Attention, Understanding & Speaking

8. Games with Rules Examples • Snakes & Ladders • Bingo • Junior scrabble • Hide & seek • Computer games/apps on tablets • I spy • Card games – snap, pairs

10. Creative Play • Gives children freedom of expression • Opportunity to recreate previously-seen ideas • Opportunity to imagine and create from scratch • Expressive Arts and Design = one of the specific areas of the EYFS curriculum. • 2 strands; Exploring & Using Media & Materials and Being Imaginative

11. Creative Play Examples • Painting and drawing • Junk modelling with recycling • Collage with old magazines • Printing with fruits & vegetables • Making instruments using rice & dried pulses in bottles • Using found objects as instruments – saucepans, tins, bottles • Role-play using props

13. Language Play • Experimenting with language, words, letters and sounds in the local environment • Singing and rhyming • Communication and Language = one of the prime areas of the EYFS curriculum. • 3 strands; Listening and Attention, Understanding & Speaking • Literacy = one of the specific areas of the EYFS curriculum. • 2 strands; Reading and Writing

14. Language Play Examples • I spy • Memory games – shopping list • Rhyming games – rhyming dominoes, rhyming pairs • Tongue twisters & nursery rhymes • Jokes • Talking on phones & walkie talkies • Puppets • Make up stories using toys

16. Pretend Play • Imitating • Imagining • Experimenting with different roles • Interacting with others in the same theme • Problem-solving • Dealing with complex emotions – empathy

17. Pretend Play Examples • Role-play – dressing up box • Use every day items as props – brushes, gardening tools, old phones, measuring tapes, money • Making props – masks, hats, menus, telescopes • Join in the role-play too!