The Benefits of Play-based Learning for Kindergarten
20 January 2023You may have heard the terms “learning through play” or “play-based learning,” but these strategies may appear very different to the average person from what we typically think of as “learning.” Children are naturally curious and use play to learn about their surroundings and the wider world. The play that children participate in can vary from infancy through adolescence and offers the opportunity to acquire various skill sets depending on their individual development.
In this post, we at Gower Street Kindergarten Centre will share some of the benefits of play-based learning for kindergarten:
Language and Communication Skills
Children frequently need to interact with their colleagues or the grownups around them while playing to attain their intended results or outcomes. Diverse play, frequently supported by our team of educators, allows kids to explore new words, discover their meanings, and practise using language in various contexts and with diverse individuals. An excellent strategy to encourage children to have a larger vocabulary and better language abilities is to encourage them to explore their environment and ask questions about the things there.
Social Development and Skills
Playing with peers, teachers, and other adults at Gower Street Kindergarten can help children develop positive and fruitful social skills and can create the groundwork for positive social interactions as they grow, just like language and communication abilities do. Children learn and comprehend social conventions through play, which can aid them in navigating many kinds of interactions. Children can also experiment with how interactions affect them and learn how to control their emotions, and they observe this in their peers.
Creativity
Play involves a lot of imagination and creativity, and participating in various activities can encourage the development of these abilities. As children play with toys, create stories or scenarios outside, or sketch or create artwork, they must use their imaginations to bring the characters to life. This requires them to consider the plot, plan their creations, and think critically about the story.
Problem Solving
Children may face various difficulties during play that requires them to come up with solutions. Encouragement of more difficult play requires kids to recognise the problem and find a suitable solution, which can be frustrating for some kids. By overcoming these obstacles, kids build their resilience and ability to apply these problem-solving techniques to other areas of their lives, where they can continue refining them as they mature.
Physical Development
Play is incredibly beneficial for a child’s physical development since it promotes the growth and development of their muscles and gross and fine motor skills. The body’s primary muscles must cooperate to perform actions like walking, running, and balancing. These actions are referred to as gross motor skills. The gross motor abilities of hand-eye coordination can be quickly developed through play activities. It’s a great idea to design activities for kids that demand them to move around and use strength, balance, and coordination in order to finish the task.
We will support the development of play-based learning and promote a wide range of activities for kids. Our educators will provide age-appropriate materials and will also serve as role models for good play behaviour. Enrolling your child in Gower Street Kindergarten will give them a head start. We run programs for both 3-year-old and 4-year-old children. Check our PROGRAMME and feel free to Contact Us.
