Detrimental Effects of Lack of Play

Brodsky Chenfeld, M. (2006, June). Handcuff me too. Phi Delta Kappan, 87(10), 745-747.
Mimi Brodsky Chenfeld tells this story from the perspective of a beginning kindergartner who realizes that there is no chance for exploration or play in school. Based on a news story about the young child who was handcuffed and taken out of her class, the author creates a heart-breaking scenario. She convincingly links violent behavior in young children to the lack of developmentally appropriate play opportunities in early childhood classrooms.

Burgard, M. (2007, April 2). Into school, out of control: Nowadays, even the youngest students turn to violence [Electronic version]. Hartford Courant. Retrieved April 12, 2007, from http://www.courant.com/news/local/hc-violentkids0331.artapr02,0,671787,print.story?coll=hc-headlines-local
In this article, the increasing number of violent behaviors seen in elementary school aged students in New Britain Connecticut is linked to the lack of recess, gym, free play and exploration. The push for higher scores on standardized tests is one factor blamed for reducing these play and socialization opportunities, and thus, leading to increased frustration and violence.

How to Integrate Creative Play and Hands-on Learning into the Early Childhood Classroom

Dixon, B. (2001). Purposeful learning: A study of water. Early Childhood Research and Practice, 3. Retrieved December 1st, 2006 from http://www.ecrp.uiuc.edu/v3n2/dixon.html
Dixon, gives a vivid. detailed, highly readable account of the purposes and procedures of a study of water she enacted with her kindergarten class in Bloomington, Indiana. Lots of helpful photos and examples of student work.

Hyson, M. (2003). Putting early academics in their place. Educational Leadership (60) 7, 20-23.
Hyson discusses the importance of creating early childhood classrooms that provide young students with the opportunity to learn the academic skills demanded in contemporary society, while honoring the need to do so through active, experiential teaching methods. Using examples from state-funded preschools in New Jersey, she depicts just what teachers can say and do in order to create stimulating, challenging, age appropriate learning environments.

Mitchell, A. (1992). Explorations with young children: a curriculum guide from the Bank Street College of Education. Clifton Park, NY: Thomson Delmore Learning.
A comprehensive resource for exploring all aspects of how to create authentic, integrated curriculum for infants through eight year olds. Includes chapters on literacy, mathematics, science, art, music, and movement as well as discussion of key developmental characteristics of each age group.

Overall Importance of Play in Children’s Lives

Bodrova, E. & Leong, D. (2003). The importance of being playful. Educational Leadership,60, 7. p. 50-53.
This article addresses the increased academic expectations and accountability that is so evident in today’s early childhood classroom and, as a consequence, the disappearance of play from pre-k and kindergarten programs. The authors question whether play and learning need to be in opposition and suggest that they can both be used to scaffold and support foundational skills in young children.

Bodrova, E., & Leong, D. (2005). Why children need play. Scholastic Early Childhood Today 20,1. 6.

Elkind, D. (2007). The power of play. Da Capo Press.
In this extremely readable text, Elkind skillfully demonstrates how play builds the basic foundation for learning and encompasses all areas of development in young children. He emphasizes the need for both unstructured play and structured play to be returned to its rightful place in home, school, and the community at large. Primarily aimed at the parents of young children, the text builds on Elkind’s previous book, “the Hurried Child”, that encourages parents to resist the push to engage their children in a mired of extra curricular activities and provide more opportunities for free play, socialization and the building of friendships.

Hirsh-Pasek, K., Golinkoff, R.M., Berk, L.E., Singer, D.G. (2007). All work and no play: A call for evidence-based preschool education. Manuscript submitted for publication.
An invaluable overview of a wide range of the research related to all aspects of the role of play in development and learning. Concludes with a call for approaches to preschool education better rooted in the abundance of evidence offered by these studies, that guided play and playful learning are essential elements of effective preschool programs.

Klein, T., Wirth, D., Linas, K. (2004) Play: Children’s context for development. Retrieved June 18th, 2007 from http://www.communityplaythings.com/c/Resources/Articles/ValueOfPlay/PlayChildrensDevelopment.htm?source=collage
Extremely clear, well-organized overview of what play is and why it is essential for young children’s learning and development. Includes vividly observed vignettes of young children at play. Particularly suitable for parents who would like to learn more about the importance of creative play and the adult role in fostering it.
Olfman, S. (2005), What about play? Rethinking Schools Online. 19, 3. Retrieved April
29, 2006 from http://www.rethinkingschools.org.

O’Neill Grace, C. (2005). Coming back to play: A conversation with Vivian Gussin Paley. Independent School. 64, 4, 34-40.

Paley, V., G., (2004). A child’s work: The importance of fantasy play. University of Chicago Press.

Physical Advantages of Play and Outdoor Play

Louv, R., Last Child in the Woods. Saving Our Children from Nature- Deficit Disorder. Algonquin Books of Chapel Hill: 2005
Louv describes how and why children need play time in the outdoors - with more dirt, plants, trees, and grass and less concrete, adult-designed play structures, and rules. He shows how less time outdoors may be linked to the rise in childhood obesity, attention disorders, and depression.

Perry, J. P. (2003). Making sense of outdoor pretend play. Young Children, 53, 26-30.
This article focuses on the independent outdoor pretend play of preschool children. It describes how teachers can complement children's play and illustrates the pattern of pretend play: initiation, negotiation, and enactment. Included in the article is a sample diagram of an outdoor setting for preschool and primary grades and suggestions for recording observations.

Rivkin M. S. (2006). Children’s outdoor play: An endangered activity. In Fromberg, Pronin. D. & Bergen, D. (Eds.). Play from birth to twelve: Contexts, perspectives, and meaning (pp.323-331), Routledge,Taylor and Francis Group.
In her preface, the author shares, “This book is about the importance of children spending time outdoors.” She cites the necessity of outdoor play for children and argues for their increased access to outdoor play. The author outlines reasons why access to outdoor play has been decreased in our changing world. Chapter 5, “Peaceful Playgrounds” discusses how children learn social skills through outdoor playground play. Chapters include, Vanishing Habitats and Access, Considerations in Designing Play Areas, Great School Grounds, Safety Outdoors, Peaceful Playgrounds.

Strickland, E. (2004). Developing motor skills-dramatically! Scholastic Early Childhood Today,19.3,9.
Strickland shows how dramatic play can be a vehicle, not only for social and emotional development, but also for physical development in young children. The article suggests props, themes and activities that can be introduced to the dramatic play area that will encourage and support physical development.

Play and Cognitive Development

Courtney, S. (1999, Summer). Play matters. Retrieved April 10, 2007, from Teachers Network web site: www.teachersnetwork.org/tnli/research/network/courtney.htm
In response to the back-to-basics movement and proposition 227 a group of elementary school teachers in Los Angeles studied the relationship of play and language development of 150 4-9 year old English Language Learners. They found that through play their students developed increased competence in their language and literacy skills and they also increased their negotiation and social interaction skills. The author concludes that play is a necessary and important component through which students extend and refine language.

Hirabayashi, M. (n.d.). Child's Play: An Argument for Recess. Retrieved April 10, 2007, from Teachers Network Website: http://www.teachersnetwork.org/tnli/research/achieve/hirabayashi.pdf
It is estimated that 40% of schools in the United States have eliminated one or more period of recess in their school day in favor of more instructional time. In this study, a class of 24 under-performing first graders in a socio-economically disadvantaged school were given opportunities to have recess, and their growth in literacy was examined through observation and analysis of class discussions. Play opportunities contributed to the literacy growth of students who, because of circumstances such as family crisis, holdover status, or poverty, might otherwise not have experienced as much academic success. This study makes an argument that recess is a valuable component of education, especially in urban public schools.

Montie, J.E., Xiang, Z., & Schweinhart, L.J. (2006). Preschool experience in 10 countries: Cognitive and language performance at age 7. Early Childhood Research Quarterly,21. 313-331.
              This is crucial reading for anybody interested in how preschool programs shape cognitive development. This article presents the results of the largest study yet to be conducted about the link between teaching practices and the development of young children’s language and reasoning abilities. Drawing on data from 15 countries, the findings emphasize the importance of small group instruction, choices for children and plentiful provision of child-centered materials.

Pepler, D. (1986). Play and creativity. In Fein, G, & M. Rivkin (eds.) The young child at play: Reviews of research, Volume 4 (chapter 10, pp. 143-153). Washington, DC: NAEYC.
               In this chapter Debra Pepler explores two themes linking play and creativity—those of experimentation and flexibility in play and the transition from concrete to abstract thought that is facilitated through play. She concludes with implications for educators in terms of ways in which adults can facilitate creativity through play.

Play and Policy

Christie, J., & Roskos, K. (2006). Standards, science, and the role of play in early literacy education. In D.Singer, R. Golinkoff, & K. Hirsh-Pasek (Eds.), Play=learning: How play motivates and enhances children’s cognitive and social-emotional growth (pp. 57-73). Oxford, UK: Oxford University Press.
Addresses the history and events that shape the current policy environment about early childhood literacy instruction. Extensively reviews research demonstrating that play in the curriculum is essential for meeting the goal of student mastery of higher order thinking and literacy skills. Policy recommendations are offered for approaches to teacher education, professional development and program design that will, “strengthen play’s status” (p.63).

Galinsky, E. (2006). The economic benefits of high quality early childhood programs: What makes the difference? Report for the Committee on Economic Development. Family and Work Institute.
Galinsky considers the factor that made (and make) three early education programs – High/Scope Perry Preschool Project, the Carolina Abecedarian Project and Chicago’s Child-Parent Centers (CPC) –successful socially, academically and economically. She draws on interviews with those who have conducted longitudinal studies of students in these programs as well as a review of the research on early brain development, to makes recommendations for current policy and practice, including the need to deliver flexible, engaging, responsive curricula to children and opportunities for ongoing professional inquiry and growth for teachers.

Play and Social-emotional development

Ginsburg, K. R., & the Committee on Communications and the Committee on Psychosocial Aspects of Child and Family Health (2007, January). The importance of play in promoting healthy child development and maintaining strong parent-child bonds. Pediatrics, 119(1) 182-191. Retrieved April 14, 2007, from http://www.aap.org/pressroom/playFINAL.pdf
This study provides a comprehensive and well-referenced source for the cognitive, physical, social, and emotional benefits of play and it’s importance to healthy development. The authors also argue that play is a perfect opportunity for parents to engage and bond with their children. They address some of the causes for decreasing play opportunities for children (including the push for academics) and discuss avenues pediatricians can take in advocating for increased play.

Rivkin, M. S. The Great Outdoors: Restoring Children’s Right to Play Outside. (1995) NAEYC, Washington D.C.
In her preface, the author shares, “This book is about the importance of children spending time outdoors.” She cites the necessity of outdoor play for children and argues for their increased access to outdoor play. The author outlines reasons why access to outdoor play has been decreased in our changing world. Chapter 5, “Peaceful Playgrounds” discusses how children learn social skills through outdoor playground play. Chapters include, Vanishing Habitats and Access, Considerations in Designing Play Areas, Great School Grounds, Safety Outdoors, Peaceful Playgrounds.

Rubin, K. H., & Howe, N. (1986). Social play and perspective taking. In Fein, G, & M. Rivkin (eds.) The young child at play: Reviews of research, Volume 4 (chapter 8, pp. 113-125). Washington, DC: NAEYC.
The authors of this study make a case that through sociodramatic play young children learn and practice the social skills of communicating, negotiating, and teaching, and they role play and learn how to take the perspective of others. Rubin and Howe come to the conclusion that there is a causal relationship between sociodramatic play in early childhood and social-cognitive development in elementary school.

Relationship of Play to Academic Success

Bergen, D. (2002). The role of pretend play in children’s cognitive development. Early Childhood Research and Practice. 4.1.

Bredekamp, S. (2004). Play and school readiness. In Zigler, E. F., Singer, D.G. & Bishop-Josef (Eds.), Children’s play: The roots of reading (pp.159-174), Zero to Three, Washington, D.C.

Mann, D. (1996). Serious play. Teacher College Record, 97, 446-69.
This very informative article questions the power of formal instruction to address learning needs of young children and its use as a tool to successfully narrow or even close the achievement gap. Mann constructs a strong argument for the inclusion of play in the early childhood curriculum. He clearly defines play and proceeds to discuss how it is sometimes mistakenly viewed as a form of entertainment. He goes on to clearly outline the types of play; reasons why children engage in play, and the functions of play in the lives of young children both inside and outside the classroom. In the final paragraphs, he pulls everything together and illustrates how all these factors contribute to the academic success of young children.

New, R.S. (1999). What should children learn? Making choices and taking chances. Early Childhood Research and Practice. 1, 2.

Northern, S. (2005). Play. Times Educational Supplement. May 02, 2005.
Using narrative inquiry Northern paints a very clear and disturbing picture of the negative effects that increased academic pressures and decreased opportunities to play have had upon young children in primary schools in England. She illustrates how these pressures and the stress of standardized testing negatively affect all developmental domains. She carefully and clearly describes how and why England’s neighboring country, Wales, decided to reinstate a play-based curriculum for children three to seven years of age. While strongly building a case for the inclusion of play in the curriculum, Northern also identifies ways that teachers need to support and implement a play-based curriculum in order for it to be successful. In conclusion, she expands upon the value and importance of play by addressing how it can be used successfully in the curricula of older children and even those of teenagers.

Zigler, E. F., Singer, D. G., Bishop-Josef, S. J. (Eds.). (2004). Children's play. The roots of reading. Washington, DC: Zero to Three Press.
Play and its role in supporting children's human and academic development is the focus. The role of play in social development is richly documented. Articles focus on play in the current political climate, play and brain development, how play is shaped by culture, school readiness and readiness for learning and their relationship to play, symbolic and sociodramatic play, and the history of play in the United States.

Teacher’s Role in Integrating Play and Hands-on Learning

Geist, E., & Baum, C. (2005) Yeah, but’s that keep teachers from embracing an active curriculum. Young Children, Beyond the Journal (May). Retrieved March 31st, 2007 from http://www.journal.naeyc.org/btj/200507/03Geist.asp
An extremely engaging article written in a lively, conversational tone. Geist and Baum address, one by one, the myriad challenges early childhood educators face in today’s political and policy environment. They outline specific steps practitioners can take, both inside and outside the classroom, to preserve the existence of creative, joyful, age-appropriate early childhood settings.

Gmitrova, V. & Gmitrov, G. (2003). The impact of teacher-directed and child-directed pretend play on cognitive competence in kindergarten children. Early Childhood Education Journal, 30 (4), 241-246.
Gmitrova and Gmitrov studied the effects of teacher directed versus child-directed play on 51 children, ages 3-6, in one school in the Slovak Republic. They conclude that a balance of teacher-directed and child-directed play best promotes social, emotional and cognitive development.

Pianta, R.C. (2007). Preschool is school, sometimes. Education Next, 1. Retrieved April 4, 2007 from http://www.hoove.org/publications/ednext/4612287.html
Based on his study of 4 year olds at risk of low achievement and on a review of related empirical research, Pianta, education professor and director of The Center for Advanced study of Teaching and Learning at the University of Virginia, identifies teacher behaviors most crucial to producing effective student outcomes in early childhood settings. These include, “ … sensitive and emotionally warm interactions, … verbal engagement/stimulation, [and] a classroom environment that is not overly structured or regimented” (p.3).

For any comments or questions concerning this bibliography, please contact Laura Kates at lkates@kbcc.cuny.edu.