Introduction
Goal: To familiarize you with the concept of play and its connection to positive parenting. The information you collect from these websites will help you to better understand how the parent-child bond can be strengthened through play!
Task
Choose one Web site to explore. Use the information in the Web site to answer the questions listed below the Web link. Be sure to read the article completely! After you finish answering your questions, meet with your colleagues to find out the answers to the remaining questions.
The BIG QUESTIONS: After sharing information with your colleagues, meet in your group to answer the BIG QUESTIONS. This will require that you synthesize (mix together) much of the information you got from all the Web sites that were explored. Good luck and enjoy this activity.
Process
Website: “The Importance of Play in Early Childhood Development”
- How does play enhance the relationship children have with their parents?
- What are a few different types of play?
- What are a few ways that play benefits children’s development?
Website: “Young Children Need to Play”
- What are some skills that children can develop through play?
- What are some of the barriers that can limit children’s play?
- If a child is bored, what could this mean?
Website: “Importance of Play”
- What is “guided play?”
- How does this type of play benefit children?
Website: “Endless Possibilities through Free Play”
- What is “open-ended play?”
- How does this type of play benefit children?
- How does “guided play” differ from “free” or “open-ended play?”
- What are a few ways that parents can foster “open-ended play” at home?
Website: “Making the Most of Playtime”
- What are some ways that parents can make the most of playtime at home?
- How can parents tailor playtime to meet their child’s individual needs?
Evaluation
BIG QUESTIONS: What are some key concepts you feel that parents should keep in mind as they engage in play with their children? How do these concepts help to strengthen the parent-child bond?
(Minimum 250-300 words. Be sure to cite examples from the readings to support your response.)
Conclusion
By completing this Treasure Hunt, you now have a clearer understanding of how play can be used to strengthen the relationship that parents have with their children. We reviewed the various types of play, how play benefits parents and children, and explored ways in which parents can support positive play in the home!