Study unit 3
Play in the foundation phase classroom
Play is one of the most important ways in which young children gain essential knowledge and skills. When children choose to play, they are not thinking “Now I am going to learn something from this activity.” Yet their play creates powerful learning opportunities across all areas of development. Development and learning are complex and holistic, and yet skills across all developmental domains can be encouraged through play, including motor, cognitive and social and emotional skills. Indeed, in playful experiences, children tap a breadth of skills at any one time.

Often this occurs during corner play in the context of early learning or pre-primary programs. Corner play, when well planned, promotes child development and learning competencies more effectively than any other pre-primary activity. By choosing to play with the things they like to do, children develop skills in all areas of development: intellectual, social, emotional, and physical. For example, while children are playing, they can try out new social skills (e.g., sharing toys, agreeing on how to work together with materials), and they often take on some challenging cognitive tasks (such as figuring out how to make a building with smaller blocks when the larger ones are not available). Children are ‘hands-on’ learners. They acquire knowledge through playful interaction with objects and people. They need a lot of practice with solid objects to understand abstract concepts.

For example, by playing with geometric blocks they understand the concept that two squares can form a rectangle and two triangles can form a square. From dancing a pattern such as step forward, step back twirl, clap and repeat, they begin to understand the features of patterns that are the foundation for mathematics. Pretend or ‘symbolic’ play (such as playing house or market) is especially beneficial: in such play, children express their ideas, thoughts, and feelings, learn how to control their emotions, interact with others, resolve conflicts, and gain a sense of competence.

In the foundation phase classroom play is structured into various games in which the child needs to participate namely, clapping with body action games, clapping, and singing games- This game can either be played standing or sitting. The important element here is a challenge. Different players must combine and adjust their clapping, trying to match their clapping patterns in increasing tempos. Every handclapping game is accompanied by singing. Concentration and coordination are important factors that will keep the players together in any singing game, stone passing game-Sitting in a circle, a stone is passed on the beat while everyone sings the song. A slow child/or a child that cannot feel the beat will end up with a pile of stones in front of them. The rhythmic movement of passing the stone is important, dancing play- Across Africa, there are dance songs that incorporate elements of play. The elements (teasing, humor, unexpected contacts, taking turns) are important to people’s conception and categorizing of the performance, music-drama play.

Its important for the teacher to remember that play have a role in the child’s life and can contribute towards the success of the child.