PLAY IN EARLY YEARS

In early childhood, learning through play is the way that young children discover and interact with their world.

The PYP begins at age three, and teachers in the Early Years (EY1, EY2, and Kindergarten) structure learning activities to allow children to develop understanding, knowledge, skills, and promote social development. The programme draws on the broad experience of our teachers and best practice in Early Years education, taking young children beyond the boundaries of expectation.

Teachers in Early Years and Kindergarten at ISPP ensure that children engage in rich, sustained and complex play everyday. To do this, children need blocks of time, plentiful resources, including open-ended materials, and supportive interactions with educators.

ISPP promotes opportunities for students to experiment with things they have learned and to problem solve. This might occur on the play equipment, through the creation of imaginative games or through social interactions. When students engage in play they may become dirty, receive minor injuries or find themselves in conflict with others. This often comes as a result of exploring the limits of their own experiences.

Play is essential for all children’s healthy development and learning.

• Enables children to make sense of their world;

• Develops social and cultural understandings;

• Allows children to express their thoughts and feelings;

• Fosters flexible and divergent thinking;

• Provides opportunities to solve real problems; and

• Develops language and literacy skills and concepts.