{"id":142,"date":"2024-10-15T15:37:32","date_gmt":"2024-10-15T15:37:32","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/pressbooks.ccconline.org\/ppscece1011introtoearlychildhoodeducation\/chapter\/curriculum-through-play\/"},"modified":"2025-04-22T22:12:25","modified_gmt":"2025-04-22T22:12:25","slug":"curriculum-through-play","status":"publish","type":"chapter","link":"https:\/\/pressbooks.ccconline.org\/ppscece1011introtoearlychildhoodeducation\/chapter\/curriculum-through-play\/","title":{"raw":"Curriculum Through Play","rendered":"Curriculum Through Play"},"content":{"raw":"
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Topical Outline<\/strong><\/p>\r\n<\/td>\r\n

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Colorado Standard Competencies<\/strong><\/p>\r\n<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n

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Developmentally appropriate practices<\/p>\r\n

Key components<\/p>\r\n\r\n

    \r\n \t
  • Creating a caring community of learners<\/li>\r\n \t
  • Teaching to enhance development and learning<\/li>\r\n \t
  • Planning appropriate curriculum<\/li>\r\n \t
  • Assessing children's development and learning<\/li>\r\n \t
  • Developing reciprocal relationships with families<\/li>\r\n \t
  • Culturally appropriate<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n

    Practical application<\/p>\r\n\r\n

      \r\n \t
    • Play<\/li>\r\n \t
    • Adult and child interaction<\/li>\r\n \t
    • Environment<\/li>\r\n \t
    • Curriculum planning<\/li>\r\n \t
    • Observation and assessment<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n

      Curriculum Models in early childhood education<\/p>\r\n<\/td>\r\n

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Define developmentally and culturally appropriate practices for programs serving young children<\/p>\r\nPractice child observation skills in early childhood program setting, including direct and indirect observation, and objective documentation<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n<\/tbody>\r\n<\/table>\r\n<\/div>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
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Vocabulary<\/strong><\/p>\r\n

Standard Competency:<\/p>\r\n

Explain basic early childhood and early childhood special education terminology<\/p>\r\n<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n

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Play<\/strong><\/p>\r\nSymbolic Play <\/strong>\u2013 play which provides children with opportunities to make sense of the things that they see (for example, using a piece of wood to symbolize a person or an object)<\/span>\r\n\r\nRough and Tumble Play <\/strong>\u2013 this is more about contact and less about fighting, it is about touching, tickling, gauging relative strength, discovering flexibility and the exhilaration of display, it releases energy, and it allows children to participate in physical contact without resulting in someone getting hurt<\/span>\r\n\r\nSocio-Dramatic Play <\/strong>\u2013 playing house, going to the store, being a mother, father, etc., it is the enactment of the roles in which they see around them and their interpretation of those roles, it\u2019s an opportunity for adults to witness how children internalize their experiences<\/span>\r\n\r\nSocial Play <\/strong>\u2013 this is play in which the rules and criteria for social engagement and interaction can be revealed, explored, and amended<\/span>\r\n\r\nCreative Play <\/strong>\u2013 play which allows new responses, transformation of information awareness of new connections with an element of surprise, allows children to use and try out their imagination<\/span>\r\n\r\nCommunication Play <\/strong>\u2013 using words, gestures, charades, jokes, play-acting, singing, whispering, exploring the various ways in which we communicate as humans<\/span>\r\n\r\nLocomotor Play <\/strong>\u2013 movement in any or every direction (for example, chase, tag, hide and seek, tree climbing)<\/span>\r\n\r\nDeep Play <\/strong>\u2013 it allows children to encounter risky or even potentially life- threatening experiences, to develop survival skills, and conquer fear (for example, balancing on a high beam, roller skating, high jump, riding a bike)<\/span>\r\n\r\nFantasy Play <\/strong>\u2013 the type of play allows the child to let their imagination run wild, to arrange the world in the child\u2019s way, a way that is unlikely to occur (for example, play at being a pilot and flying around the world), pretending to be various characters\/people, be wherever and whatever they want to be and do<\/span>\r\n\r\nObject Play \u2013 <\/strong>use of hand-eye manipulations and movements<\/span><\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n<\/tbody>\r\n<\/table>\r\n

Introduction<\/h2>\r\n

As we have learned in previous chapters, developing relationships, as well as understanding the developmental stages and individual interests and skills of children is crucial to effective teaching. This is accomplished through interactions and both informal and formal observations with the children in our care. This information will form the cornerstone of what is called \u201ccurriculum,\u201d which includes both the planned and unplanned experiences that occur throughout the day. This chapter will provide some of the basic concepts in a developmentally appropriate curriculum.<\/p>\r\n

\u201cDevelopment\u201d and \u201clearning\u201d are two integrated concepts that we promote as teachers. As children are \u201clearning\u201d new concepts and skills, they are fostering their \u201cdevelopment.\u201d Our goal is to encourage the development of the \u201cwhole child\u201d (physical, cognitive, social, emotional, language) by providing learning experiences based on children\u2019s interests and abilities, a concept known as \u201cintentional teaching<\/strong>.\u201d<\/p>\r\n

Although children learn in an integrated <\/strong>manner (blending all areas of development together) these areas are often broken down for planning purposes.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_578\" align=\"aligncenter\" width=\"472\"]\"Domains \"Image \" by Ian Joslin, Introduction to Curriculum for Early Childhood Education<\/a> is licensed under CC BY 4.0<\/a>.[\/caption]\r\n\r\n \r\n

The table below shows the relationship between the domains of development and concepts of learning.<\/p>\r\n\r\n

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Development<\/strong><\/p>\r\n<\/td>\r\n

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Learning<\/strong><\/p>\r\n<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n

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Cognitive<\/strong><\/p>\r\n<\/td>\r\n

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Science, Technology, Math<\/p>\r\n<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n

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Language<\/strong><\/p>\r\n<\/td>\r\n

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Language and Literacy<\/p>\r\n<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n

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Physical<\/strong><\/p>\r\n<\/td>\r\n

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Health, Safety, Nutrition, Self-Help Skills, Physical Education<\/p>\r\n<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n

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Social, Emotional, Spiritual<\/strong><\/p>\r\n<\/td>\r\n

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Social Science, Visual and Performing Arts<\/p>\r\n<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n<\/tbody>\r\n<\/table>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n

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Vignette<\/p>\r\n

Javier and Ji are playing in the block area. They have stacked several large blocks on top of each other. Twice the blocks have fallen and each time they have modified their plan slightly to make them stay. Once stable, Ji counts the blocks and Javier turns to the teacher and proudly says, \u201cLook at our 5-story building, you should shop here.\u201d<\/p>\r\n\r\n<\/div>\r\n

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\"image\"<\/p>\r\n<\/td>\r\n

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Reflection<\/strong><\/p>\r\n

Can you find development and learning for Javier and Ji in each of the categories listed in the Vignette?<\/p>\r\n

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Play: The Vehicle for Development and Learning<\/h2>\r\n

Children are born observers and are active participants in their own learning and understanding of the world around them from the very beginning of their existence. This means they are not just recipients of a teacher\u2019s knowledge. Developmentally Appropriate Practice (DAP) challenges early childhood professionals to be intentional in their interactions and environments to create optimal experiences to maximize children\u2019s growth and development. Under this umbrella of DAP, knowledge is based upon discovery and discovery occurs through active learning and abundant opportunities for exploration. Through a \u201chands-on\u201d approach and using play as a vehicle, children will develop the skills necessary for growth and development and maximize their learning.<\/p>\r\n

Teachers play a pivotal role in children\u2019s active construction of knowledge. They intentionally provide the environments, interactions, and experiences that support children in actively building concepts, skills, and overall development. The role of the teacher who works with young children in early childhood is to support children\u2019s active construction of knowledge.<\/p>\r\n

Early childhood teachers are responsible for:<\/p>\r\n\r\n