by D.M.G. Piyumini Buddhika
In a recent conversation a concerned parent asked whether they can effectively use playtime to support their child’s language learning journey. It is a question that resonates with many caregivers who wish to provide the best possible support to their children. Fortunately, according to child language experts, the answer is a resounding yes. Therefore, in answering this question, I will explore the following;
What is play?
What are ways in which we can incorporate play?
How does play affect language learning?
Key takeaways
What is play?
Before we explore the main question, we need to understand what we mean by play. According to experts, “play can refer to just about any activity children do that meets a number of criteria. [...] First, play has no specific purpose, and it is not linked to survival. Second, playful activities are often exaggerated—a pretend action often takes longer or involves a wider range of motion than a similar real action. Finally, play is joyful, child-led and voluntary”. Additionally, some experts also believe that play is a rule-governed activity. For example, even in a seemingly simple act of pretend play, such as pretending to be a “mother”, there are rules on how a “mother” should act. Therefore, experts believe that play can be incorporated by parents and educators to create enriching environments that support children's language development in a fun and engaging manner.
What are ways in which we can incorporate play?
Incorporating play into children’s routines can be both fun and beneficial for their language development. Some of the play activities and strategies are as follows;
Activities
Structured games and activities (board games or puzzles) - Offer opportunities for children to engage in structured play while learning new words and concepts
Rhyming and phonic games - Help children develop phonological awareness and enjoyably expand their vocabulary.
Commercially produced games (e.g., Junior Scrabble) - Provide interactive opportunities for children to practice spelling and word formation.
Letter games and alphabet jigsaws - Effective tools for teaching letter recognition and letter-sound correspondence.
Informal games at home (e.g., storytelling or singing songs) - Create meaningful bonding experiences while also promoting language skills.
Nonguided imaginative play with siblings or other children - Allow them to explore their creativity and language abilities freely.
Guided play activities with parents (e.g., following a script) - Allow them to learn new vocabulary
Strategies
Asking open-ended questions - Encourages the child to practice and use more language while playing
Providing meaningful feedback - Allows the child to translate their actions into words which helps them to use or learn words to describe their actions
Defining words and circling back to discuss children's ideas - Allows children to memorise and normalise the use of new words
Allowing sufficient wait time for responses - Gives children more time to think and create new and more complex responses
How does Play impact language learning?
Using the aforementioned types and strategies of children’s play can have a significant impact on language learning.
Firstly, it promotes symbolic thinking, which is the ability to create connections with objects and ideas. For example, in pretend play, objects like toys can stand in for real things, like using a banana as a pretend phone. This is similar to how words represent real objects. This supports language development and literacy (the ability to interpret and understand messages relayed from others as a means to communicate) by helping them understand how sounds and symbols function as they communicate during play.
Secondly, the social interactions that are present in different types of play can also enhance language development. For example, activities such as role-playing and negotiation prompt children to use more complex language than they typically do which helps them improve their language skills.
Thirdly, when playing with others, be it with adults or friends, children are constantly exposed to language which can also contribute to language development. For example, two children playing house together will be compelled to use more language to play their roles to enjoy their playtime.
Fourthly, play is important for language development as it keeps children engaged and in charge of their interactions. This allows children to pick up new vocabulary and sentence structures because they are fully immersed in the play scenario.
Key takeaways
Whether children are playing games, pretending, or just having fun with friends, play can be and provide a great environment for language development. That is, even though it can be somewhat difficult to comment on how much play at home directly impacts a child's language abilities, it can nevertheless be said that it is impactful. Moreover, it also helps children understand the power and importance of language in the real world and not just about having fun. Therefore, as parents, you can encourage and use children’s play as a way to support your child's language development.