Nursery World - The importance of play

I visited a nursery school and children's centre recently, and was
once more inspired by the energy and creativity of the staff, and the
children and the commitment and confidence of parents.

It was early in the morning and the children were just arriving. In the room for two-year-olds there was an area with sand scattered on the floor and dinosaurs, stones and cardboard tubing arranged invitingly. The practitioners had made an oasis for children to engage playfully and imaginatively in ways that they chose for themselves.

There continues to be discussion and disagreement about the usefulness of play, and argument about the value of play and its role in education will run and run. But really, there is only one answer to all this. Healthy, happy children can't not play! Play is like oxygen to young and developing bodies and minds. Play is a life force for us all. One of the things that unites many of the pioneers of early education (Rachel and Margaret McMillan, Maria Montessori, Fredrich Froebel, Susan Isaacs, Lillian De Lissa, to name a few) is an understanding of the centrality of play in children's well-being, development and learning. And it is equally important today that we keep play to forefront of early education and care.

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