Play Based Learning

Education research identifies the various opportunities that play based learning presents to children. There are specific types of this method of instruction such as outdoor play and sociodramatic play. The kids are influenced and exceptionally effected by the interaction and engagement that play based learning presents. In addition, creating pretend issues and resolving them is one of the many components of play that embed skills such as problem solving and utilizing imagination. By teachers taking advantage of these opportunities, children will be better prepared for their life ahead by enhancing their social, emotional, cognitive, and physical development. Students will decrease their likelihood of displaying disruptive behavior in school
Children learn in various ways, but play-based learning tends to produce higher motivation, as well as implant vital life skills because it provides opportunity for indirect instruction. Education is commonly viewed as teaching specific curriculum, but when it comes to young children they need to be taught more than just basic school subject material. Whether it be in school or at home, teachers and parents have the role of guiding children and encouraging them to expand their growth through skills. Social skills are highly prominent because interactions with others occur every day. According to Viega, Neto, and Rieffe (2016), “Free play is the primary context for positive-social interactions, but it also enables children to act out aggressive tensions, helping them to regulate these aggressive feelings and behaviors” (p.50). Not only does interacting with their peers make the children more socially stable, but free play also acts as a release of unwanted aggression that commonly builds up in young kids and becomes a disruption. They are enhancing their communication skills and learning the importance of
Sociodramatic play is a common example of play based learning that is beneficial to the children for various reasons. Calabrese (2003) defines sociodramatic play as “a form of voluntary social play in which children use their imaginations and creativity” (p.607). Sociodramatic play is made up of different activities that encourage the students to act as someone else and view specific situations from a different perspective rather than their own personal beliefs. This is known as taking on different roles (Calabrese, 2003, p.607). When preparing to incorporate this type of play based learning, the classroom needs to have a specific area that encourages the children to engage with one another, collaborate ideas, and present them. The teacher can provide a theme or story line for the children to generate scenarios off of. The sociodramatic play center will allow the children to read, write, listen, and speak (Calabrese, 2003, p.607). This means that the children are stimulating multiple different thinking processes and practicing key components to development. The kids may write scripts and then use them to read aloud while presenting to their peers who are listening and observing. The children will take turns doing this is small groups or even as a whole class in some cases. Sociodramatic play is a very different learning approach than