PLAY ON!

I myself am very fortunate that the curriculum implemented in my classroom directly supports play in a very realistic way. We "play" for about 40 minutes each day where children are set loose into centers and expected to delve into roles as they are appropriate. Each center is in turn changed from the traditional block center, art center and dramatic play to incorporate pretend play themes such as the post office, the fire station and the newborn nursery. In the article Chopsticks and Counting chips the authors reference a change in play. Play has certainly changed in the 20 or so years since I was a child, yes I played outside and yes I played in forts and created far away worlds in my treehouse, and no I did not go to preschool and yes I did attend a half day of kindergarten. All of these factors may be true for children of this generation but are clearly not the norm. Several of my students arrive at school before I do, attending before care and getting to school at 7:15 am and are at school long after I leave the building often times staying until 6:30 pm. This is not middle school or high school folks, these children are three years old! In scenarios such as this, who are we to tell teachers and children that school is a place for learning and home is a place for play? It is quite clear that school during the early childhood years has become a safe haven for children to develop into learners and students this process must be embraced on a developmentally appropriate level.