Spotlight on Young Children: Exploring Play (Spotlight on Young Children series) - Softcover

Softcover

ISBN 10: 1938113144 ISBN 13: 9781938113147

Publisher: The National Association for the Education of Young Children, 2015

Synopsis

Supporting Young Children's Play and Learning

Discover ways to provide a strong curricular approach for young children’s learning while endorsing a playful pedagogy. The articles in this collection emphasize using play to promote children’s skills in problem solving, decision making, and self-regulation; engaging diverse learners in play activities; and partnering with families to further children’s playful learning. Specific topics include ways educators can

- Support infants’ and toddlers’ active explorations with sensory activities and unique materials
- Provide opportunities for children to engage in active, physical play
- Guide children’s learning through art play
- Communicate to others the importance and value of play for children from birth through third grade

Included is a professional development guide with questions and activities to help readers reflect on current teaching practices and inspire them to incorporate new ones.

About this title

About the Author:

Holly Bohart is senior editor in Books and Related Resources at NAEYC. She formerly taught in special education early childhood programs.

Kathy Charner is editor in chief of NAEYC’s Books and Related Resources department, with responsibility for the content, management, publication, and general excellence of the books and brochures published by NAEYC. Before joining NAEYC, Kathy was editor in chief at Gryphon House for more than 20 years.

Derry Koralek, chief publishing officer of NAEYC, oversees the development of all print and digital publishing, including books, brochures, periodicals, professional development guides, posters, and websites for educators and families. Derry is editor in chief of Young Children and TYC―Teaching Young Children.

Excerpt. © Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.:

As Shabazian and Soga (2014) point out, “infants and toddlers need to play with objects that stimulate and enhance brain development” by having access to open-ended materials, which “do not have predetermined puposes but instead offer many possibilities” (61). Art materials are inherently open ended. We put them within reach of all the infants and toddlers, and the children use them as they please. According to Shabazian and Soga, this type of play helps young children develop divergent thinking, which they define as “the ability to view a problem from different perspectives” (62). Divergent thinking, these authors note, is an important step in developing problem-solving skills.

About this edition

• Publisher: The National Association for the Education of Young Children
• Publication date: 2015
• ISBN 10: 1938113144
• ISBN 13: 9781938113147
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 136
• Editor: Bohart Holly, Charner Kathy, Koralek Derry