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© 2010 Head Start Body Start | www.headstartbodystart.orgFrom Playpen to Playground— The Importance of Physical Play for the
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@MISC{Development_©2010,
author = {Motor Development and Young Children},
title = {© 2010 Head Start Body Start | www.headstartbodystart.orgFrom Playpen to Playground— The Importance of Physical Play for the},
year = {}
}
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Abstract
What you have to do is run real fast up the hill and then down the hill, and if you fall, the wolves will eat you. But they aren’t real wolves, it’s just pretend, so don’t be scared. (A four-year-old child teaching a three-year-old peer how to play.) Decades of research have shown that play is an important mediator in the physical, social, cognitive, and language development of young children (Bergen, 2002; Garvey, 1993; Vygotsky, 1976). In spite of this, play faces many threats in America. The growing emphasis on standards, assessment, and accountability in schools has led to a reduction in outdoor and active physical play. In many schools and centers, play has been all but eliminated to make room for quieter academic learning (Stipek, 2006). Preschools and kindergartens in public school settings have become particularly regimented and adult-directed, with teachers feeling compelled to increase literacy and numeracy instruction at the expense of play time (Golinkoff et. al.2004). Passive television viewing and use of other media also are replacing active play and have even been found to interrupt the play of young infants (Schmidt et. al., 2008; Zimmerman, et. al., 2007). The purpose of this review is to describe and interpret research that examines the effects of physical play, from birth to age five, at home and school, across all areas of development. The document is intended to inform the professional
Keyphrases
physical play head start body start www many threat young infant active play real wolf young child play time passive television viewing important mediator active physical play three-year-old peer numeracy instruction language development many school quieter academic learning real fast public school setting four-year-old child
