Play and Creativity

1. Play and Creativity M. Nazmul Haq Professor, IER, University of Dhaka

2. Write three activities of young children that are most expected at school for their development Brainstorm in your group and write them in a flash card in bigger fonts

3. Children grow steadily in size and temperament. Psychological development occurs through maturation and daily interaction with environment

4. When a child grows physical andpsychological changes take place • These changes are: • Physical growth: Grow bigger • Cognitive development: Learn about object or count • Motor development: Manipulation, balance and movement • Personal – social development: Shares with others • Adaptive (non-verbal) development: Gestures • Communication and language development: conversation with others

5. Movement Thinking & problem solving solving Vision Speech & hearing Development brings change in the structure of brain At birth At 3 years At 14 years At 3 months

6. Development of a child is directly linked with two aspects • Proper nutrition • Nutrition keeps the child healthy and free from diseases • It can be obtained from daily meals and seasonal fruits • Appropriate stimulation • Makes the child’s life potential for future success • Stimulation can be obtained from home, school and community

7. Stimulation • Stimulation is the engagement of a child in various developmental activities • It is the opportunity for a child to develop with: • Good physical and mental health • Sound emotional state • Socially stable environment • Success in school and community • Child’s future largely depends on sufficient stimulation in the first five years of life

8. Windows of Opportunity Opportunity of play Opportunity to be creative Exposure to art and music Opportunity to learn

9. Opportunity of Play • Play is as basic and as pervasive a natural phenomenon as sleep • play shapes our brains, creates our competencies, and guides our emotions • Play is most conducive to improve motor skills, learning ability, imagination and educational attainment in infancy and childhood

10. Types of play • Solitary play • Onlooker play • Parallel play • Associative play • Cooperative play

11. Solitary play • Where children play with toys by themselves, independently • Not influenced by others • Does not tend to approach others • Solitary play helps a child to be thinker

12. Onlooker play • Where children observe others at play • Frequently talk to the children and make suggestions but do not join • Solitary and onlooker play are also known as nonsocial play (mostly occurs among 2-3 years olds) • Onlooker play helps a child to be social

13. Parallel play • Where children play with toys similar to those of surrounding children • But use toys in their own ways • Do not have direct interaction with other children • Parallel play develops the capacity of designing something new

14. Associative play • Where children interact and share toys • But do not share group goals • Sometime toy selection is independent • Associative play enhances the communication skill

15. Cooperative play • When children interact to achieve common group goals and share things with others • The child follows instruction of other child • Observe division of labour with other • Pretend to be a member of a family, animal, monster • Parallel play, associative play and cooperative play are the types of social play • Cooperative play develops sociability in children

16. Teaching with play • Devise some new ways to teach a subject • Engage children in competition mode • Help children to be involved in action to learn new things • Allow children in free play between two classes or prior to any serious work

17. Materials needed to be playful • Paper • Pencil /Pen • Crayon • Marker • Cardboard • Glue • Adhesive tape • Blue tag /Clay • Wood blocks • Building blocks • Wood scrap/Sand • Recycle materials • Wood logs • Jute/Cotton/Rug • Thread/String/Wire • Knife/Scissor

18. Group Work: Imagine a play for teaching • Geography • History • Science • Literature • Culture

19. Creativity It is the urge or capacity of a person to produce something new or novel Should it be a part of curriculum ?

20. Characteristics of creativity Creativity is not a gift but an ability that can be acquired and nurtured • Creative child is independent • Self-confident • Courageous • Intuitive • Optimistic and • Able to take risk

21. How to support creativity • Never criticize any unproductive or naïve response • Put problem with an expectation of something new • Accept anything with flexibility and originality but give more credit to originality • Give time and scope for incubation • Finally show your interest in creativity

22. Some methods to support creativity • Instruction to be imaginative and creative • Brainstorming • Project work • Discovery learning • Role play • Drawing/painting • Music • Mime

23. Play and Creativity Play Creativity • Play helps children to have fun and learn • Play is essential to be perfect • Play opens the door for future development • Creativity provides children to grow mature and contributing • Creativity encourages leadership to acquire • Creativity is the key to excel

24. If you want your children prosper Allow them play and engage in creativity Thank You

25. Group work • Divide into three groups and identify at least five topics of any subject of your interest. Develop appropriate play based lesson (i.e., how your would teach that subject with the help of play. Explain your teaching approach on a poster paper)