The Importance of Play

Head Start Performance Standards are designed o ensure that all children and families receive high quality services. These standards define the quality services for low income children and their families and they are set standards for all Head Start Programs. The standards of learning in Head Start Programs are as follows;

• ·         Develop phonemic, print, and numeracy awareness
• ·         Understand and use language to communicate for various purposes
• ·         Understand and use increasingly complex and varied vocabulary
• ·         Develop and demonstrate an appreciation of books
• ·         In the case of non English background children, progress toward acquisition of the English language
• ·         Know that the letters of the alphabet are special category of visual graphics that can be individually named
• ·         Recognize a word as a unit of print
• ·         Identify at least ten letters of the alphabet
• ·         Associate sounds with written words

The early stages of learning are the most fundamental to children. A regular Head Start Programs should facukutate these areas of learning amoung others, including engaging children in structured play; play is the best form of learning for early learners. When an early childhood professional’s job is labelled as ‘child’s play’ it’s usually because it mostly is. Children play naturally but they don’t always engage in activities that will promote learning. Providing an opportunity for children to play using learning activities increases their chances for learning. Play activities are essential for the development of the child to succeed in many different skills and behaviours including;

• ·         Learning different concepts
• ·         Developing social skills
• ·         Developing physical skills
• ·         Mastering different life situations
• ·         Learning different languages
• ·         Enhancing the self esteem
• ·         Preparation for adulthood

Piaget believed that play promotes the cognitive schemes and it is how kids learn of their world/surroundings. Through play the knowledge of the physical properties of objects are found, the roles humans play in the environment, mathematics, and concepts of space, time, and behaviour are also found. Play is critical to the development of children for it impacts their understanding of themselves, the world and the people around them. Playing is tied to the way children think, it helps their brain to flourish, and it is their natural learning mold.