Importance of Play Part II: Physical Education

       I wanted to personally encourage everyone to facilitate more play time for our students. Research has taught us that rich, varied play experiences boost a child's learning significantly. Games/ play help children to develop coordination skills, as well as confidence and pride. While I'm sure that we all create the appropriate timing for play experiences, structured play that is purposeful and has intent has proven to be the best way for younger learners to progress. Through different types of play students develop new skills as well as knowledgeable concepts about different things or even issues present within their lives. Structured play with intent facilitates/ promotes; cultural awareness, aesthetic awareness, cognitive and language skills, social skills, time and space concepts, cause and effect, helps to differentiate real from pretend, and it is also a great way for children to express their emotions and whatever anxiety they may be feeling, among many other things.
       Through my various employments at different private preschools/daycare on St. Thomas there are many practices being used, and in most cases they are lacking any practices at all. Children are left to discover and care givers only give the appearance of teaching. I can recall specifically seeing a preschool teacher (K3) ridiculed for doing what she was supposed to, being called names by the owner/director for 'wanting to be a super teacher'. I learned quickly that I would not thrive in such settings and then begged the question, how could children be expected to learn and thrive in such an environment where it is not encouraged to facilitate such learning. Needless to say I (the ambitious college student) didn't last long, for I was 'taking my job to seriously'; I wasn't fired, but I did seek out employment where learning was encouraged. Through play children learn a variety of things that, while we may teach them verbally, will never understand until they are able to experience it. Through play we discover who we are and who the people around us are; we discover ourselves. Allowing children to interact with each other in different settings promotes different social skills that are also necessary for growth and development, both academically and throughout their lives endeavors. This applies to children of all ages including those in the more intermediate stages of growth and development. While they may not be able to interact as other children do, they still are able to make connections and interactions through smiles and the mimicking of movements made.
       This brings me to another aspect of play that is neglected within preschool/daycare programs, physical education. With this regards physical education professionals and advocates have argued this cause around the world; the earlier one is exposed to physical activities the more likely they are to develop healthy exercise habits and can progress this skill to a lifetime of fitness. With obesity constantly rising within our nation the best form of curing this disease, as all others, is to prevent it. Many have begged to question how or should schools implement quality physical fitness programs; I can't understand why with all the information available on the development and nurturing of young children how this subject could be left out of any curriculum. This disconnect can lead to students avoiding physical activities throughout their adolescence which can lead to the development of a bad habit for their futures. Children should be given the opportunity to engage in structured outdoor play for a minimum of two hours for at least three days a week, as well as structured indoor play through the use of different learning stations (i.e. kitchen sets, costume center, etc.) to allow room for growth and progression in all areas. I implore everyone to check with your child's care provider and find out their practices, if your children are only allowed play for once a week outdoors, and there are no learning centers within the facility, chances are your child isn't being provided the time necessary to explore themselves and the world around them and we all want for our children to grow to their fullest potentials.