Theories of Play Flashcards
Who are the main theorists who developed the most influential theories of play?
(F. E. P. V)
- Most influential theories of play were developed by Freud, Erickson, Piaget and Vygotsky
Early Beginnings - John Locke
- C–> BS
- C –> LtP TtTC
- Alphabet blocks
John Locke believed that :
- Children are a blank slate
- They can learn through play when adults use toys to teach concepts
Also e created the first wooden alphabet blocks
Early Beginnings - Rousseau & Pestalozzi
R – > Innately good & nature is primary
P –> Free to explore & action learning
Jean-Jacques Rousseau : believed that children are innately good, and nature is a primary force in learning
Johann Pestalozzi : believed that children should be free to explore, and that they learn through action (learn by doing).
Early Beginnings - Froebel
Froebel invented kindergarten
- He believed that children learned through play
- His work influenced many future theorists
Classical Theories - Surplus Energy Theory of Play
- C play bc have lots of energy
- plays rids of energy
Surplus Energy Theory of Play
- Friedrich Van Schiller believed that children play because they have too much energy and play will rid them of the excess
- Herbert Spencer was the first one to identify this as “surplus energy” theory
Child Study Movement - Dewey & Hill
- D –> Hands on & play as foundation, rejected F
- H –> Develop. fee play, hollow blocks, question F
John Dewey was an American Educator
- He used play and hand-on learning as foundation for curriculum
- He rejected Froebel view of play
Patty Smith Hill questioned Froebel’s methods
- Developed an approach called free play
- Went on to create the first hollow blocks
Psychoanalytical Theory
- Dev by F & extended by E
- P benefit –> S&E dev
Was developed by Sigmund Freud and extended by Erik Erickson
- From this perspective, play benefits social and emotional development
- The work of Freud and Erickson has influenced research on play
Maria Montessori
Believed that play is the work of children
- She founded the Montessori Method of education
- Focuses on developing the child’s independence and cognitive ability through hands-on activities.
- In Montessori schools :
- Play is restricted
- Pretending is not allowed
Constructivist Theory - Piaget’s Theory of Cognitive Development
- Play relaxed atmosphere
- P & L different
- CD –> AS & AC
- P –> AS w/o AC
- P Stages – Dev Stages
- Believed that play provides a relaxed atmosphere in which learning can easily occur
- Believed that play is not the same as learning
- Cognitive development requires both assimilation and accommodation
- Play is assimilation without accommodation - Created stages of play development that mirror his stages of development
Types of Play According to Piaget
(P/F P. DP. GwR.)
Practice or functional play
Dramatic play
Games with rules
Accommodation & Assimilation
- AC –> Adj
- AS - Fit
- Accommodation : children adjust their schemas (mental structures) to accept new knowledge
- Assimilation : children fits information into existing schemas
Vygotsky’s Sociocultural Theory - Vygotsky
- S, C & H factors
- Construct knowldege
- ZPD
- P –> ZPD
Considers the social, cultural and historical factors that influence development
- Vygotsky believed that :
1. Children construct knowledge through interactions with society and culture
2. Learning occurs in the zone of proximal development (ZPD)
- ZPD : the distance between the ability of doing something with the assistance of others and the ability of doing the task alone.
3. Development occurs during play because play creates the ZPD
Postmodern Theorists/Theories - Brian Sutton-Smith
- Interdisciplinary
- Define/capture
- Anti-romanticize
- Not pleasurable
- Emphasized the interdisciplinary nature of play
- Viewed play as difficult to define and capture
- Is against romanticizing play according to middle class values
- Argues that play is not pleasurable
Postmodern Theorists/Theories - Gail Cannella
- Middle class European lens
- Critique :
- Don’t reflect reality and culture
- Object
- Innap vs App.
Believed that play is viewed through a middle-class European lens.
Cannella’s criticism towards other theories/ideas:
- Piaget’s stages don’t reflect the realities of children in different cultures
- View of play as object driving
- There are appropriate vs. inappropriate play practices
Modern Theories - Arousal Modulation Theory (Berlyne)
- P is B –> bio adapt
- CNS remain aroused
- Little stim –> stimulus seeking or play
- Too much stim –> stop play
- Switch bwtn play
- Play is viewed as a behavior that occurs as a result of biological adaptation
- Berlyne propose that the central nervous system tries to remain in a state of arousal
- If there is too little stimulation, the child will engage in stimulus-seeking behavior or play
- If too much stimulation is present, play will cease
- This theory explains why children switch between play activities
