Spontaneous Play In Early Childhood From Birth To Six Years

Based on the pioneering work of Mary D. Sheridan, Play in Early Childhood is a classic introductory text to play and development – key topics for all those who work with young children. Updated for a contemporary audience and fully evidence-based, it explains how children’s play develops and how they develop as they play. With over eighty illustrations and observations of play from birth to six years, this new edition presents classical and contemporary literature, making clear links between play and all areas of children’s development. It includes activities to consolidate thinking and suggestions for further reading throughout. Play in Early Childhood considers: the development, value and characteristics of play issues relating to culture, adversity and gender play from recreational, therapeutic and educational perspectives the role of parents/caregivers and professionals in supporting play Suitable for those new to the area or for more experienced workers wanting a quick reference guide, this easy-to-follow book meets the needs of students and professionals from a wide range of health, education and social care backgrounds, including early years professionals, playworkers, children’s nurses, speech and language therapists and social workers.

Play and development are key topics for all who work with young children. Based on the pioneering work of Mary D. Sheridan, Play in Early Childhoodis an introductory text which explains how children's play develops and how they develop as they play. It features: over eighty illustrations descriptions of play at each stage of development, from birth to six years outlines of different play sequences information on children with special needs practical advice on the adult's role in providing for play. This edition has been thoroughly revised and updated to meet the needs of early years workers and students on courses leading to awards in child care and education.

This unique book provides a written and pictorial view of the spontaneous play of children from birth through eight years of age! Discussions are provided on the basics of play and how to observe children at play more effectively.

Early Childhood Play Matters provides guidance and many practical ideas on implementing the Walker Learning Approach within early childhood learning practices.

Children are already learning at birth, and they develop and learn at a rapid pace in their early years. This provides a critical foundation for lifelong progress, and the adults who provide for the care and the education of young children bear a great responsibility for their health, development, and learning. Despite the fact that they share the same objective - to nurture young children and secure their future success - the various practitioners who contribute to the care and the education of children from birth through age 8 are not acknowledged as a workforce unified by the common knowledge and competencies needed to do their jobs well. Transforming the Workforce for Children Birth Through Age 8 explores the science of child development, particularly looking at implications for the professionals who work with children. This report examines the current capacities and practices of the workforce, the settings in which they work, the policies and infrastructure that set qualifications and provide professional learning, and the government agencies and other funders who support and oversee these systems. This book then makes recommendations to improve the quality of professional practice and the practice environment for care and education professionals. These detailed recommendations create a blueprint for action that builds on a unifying foundation of child development and early learning, shared knowledge and competencies for care and education professionals, and principles for effective professional learning. Young children thrive and learn best when they have secure, positive relationships with adults who are knowledgeable about how to support their development and learning and are responsive to their individual progress. Transforming the Workforce for Children Birth Through Age 8 offers guidance on system changes to improve the quality of professional practice, specific actions to improve professional learning systems and workforce development, and research to continue to build the knowledge base in ways that will directly advance and inform future actions. The recommendations of this book provide an opportunity to improve the quality of the care and the education that children receive, and ultimately improve outcomes for children.

Mary D. Sheridan’s Play in Early Childhood is a classic introductory text to play and development – key topics for all those who work with young children. Drawing on the most up-to-date evidence, it explains how children’s play develops and how they develop as they play. With over 100 illustrations and observations of play from birth to six years, this new edition presents classical and contemporary literature, making clear links between play and all areas of children’s development. It includes updated activities to consolidate thinking and suggestions for further reading throughout. This text considers: the development, value and characteristics of play issues relating to culture, adversity, gender, attachment and brain development play from recreational, therapeutic and educational perspectives the role of parents/caregivers and professionals in supporting play how to develop observation and reflection skills for use in your own practice Suitable both for those new to the area and for more experienced workers wanting a quick reference guide, this easy-to-follow book meets the needs of students and professionals from a wide range of health, education and social care backgrounds, including early years professionals, playworkers, children’s nurses, play therapists and social workers.