#The play's the thing meaning full
#The play's the thing meaning tv

To what extent does nature care for us by providing water, shade, soft surfaces, and sweet-smelling flowers? And to what extent does it present problems, such as hard surfaces, the hot sun, and thorns on bushes? We can discover this relationship with the natural world only by experiencing it as we grow up, develop, and interact with the natural environment. Can I slide on the sand? Can I roll on grass? What happens when I throw a piece of wood into the pond? Is cement hard or soft to fall on? An essential task of development is appreciating how we fit into the natural order of things-animals, plants, the weather, and so on. How high can I swing? Do I dare go down the slide? How high can I climb? Can I go down the slide headfirst? To learn about the physical world, the child must experiment with the physical world. To learn about their own physical and emotional capabilities, children must push their limits. Not only do children learn lots of basic and fundamental information about how the world works in a very effective manner, they are more likely to remember what they learned because it was concrete and personally meaningful (Ormrod, 1997). How does ice feel and sound? Can sticks stand up in sand? How do plants grow? How does mud feel? Why do we slide down instead of up? How do I make my tricycle go faster? How does the overhang of the building create cool shade from the sun? What does a tomato smell and taste like? What does a chrysalis change into? Do butterflies have to learn to fly? Much of what a child learns outside can be learned in a variety of other ways, but learning it outside is particularly effective-and certainly more fun! In the outside playground children can learn math, science, ecology, gardening, ornithology, construction, farming, vocabulary, the seasons, the various times of the day, and all about the local weather. Outdoor play enables young children to learn lots and lots and lots of things about the world. Some of our favorite childhood memories are outdoor activities. Children need opportunities to explore, experiment, manipulate, reconfigure, expand, influence, change, marvel, discover, practice, dam up, push their limits, yell, sing, and create. Thus childhood must include outdoor play.

#The play's the thing meaning full

And as Lord Nuffield once said, the best preparation for adulthood is to have a full and enjoyable childhood. Outdoor play is one of the things that characterize childhood. Extensive physical activity is also needed to address a growing problem of obesity in American children. Gallahue (1993) provides a comprehensive discussion of the motor development and movement skill acquisition of young children, which must be encouraged in outdoor playgrounds. Physical ExerciseД¬hildren need to develop large motor and small motor skills and cardiovascular endurance. The following sections (based on Wardle, 1996-2003) describe the main reasons why outdoor play is critical for the healthy development of young children.

#The play's the thing meaning tv

Second, our culture is taking outdoor play away from young children through excessive TV and computer use, unsafe neighborhoods, busy and tired parents, educational accountability, elimination of school recess, and academic standards that push more and more developmentally inappropriate academics into our early childhood programs, thus taking time away from play. First, many of the developmental tasks that children must achieve-exploring, risk-taking, fine and gross motor development and the absorption of vast amounts of basic knowledge-can be most effectively learned through outdoor play. There are two fundamental reasons why outdoor play is critical for young children in our early childhood programs and schools. Outdoor play should not become too academic and too teacher controlled. There is a critical need to develop a disposition for outdoor physical activities in our young children. Particular emphasis should be placed on how playgrounds must encourage all forms of play. These include design of the play area, safety issues, play equipment, accessibility, and adult supervision. A variety of factors determine the quality of a playground for young children from infants to eight-year-olds. Good outdoor playgrounds are large enough and designed in such a way that childrenвЂ™s play can come to full expression, where children can make a mess, run, jump and hide, where they can shout, whistle and explore the natural world. Playgrounds are places where childrenвЂ™s play can take off and flourish.

The play&#39;s the thing meaning

The play's the thing meaning