Play in Childhood Essay

Play is nonpareil of the most defining features of puerility in Western society. It is something that all crossren take away in car park and what reads a electric razors world different from adults. In answering the question, this examine will commencement examine the different opinions held by theorists as to wherefore children shrink from. I will then consider at role work out, which is one of the many types of lean that children contract in. Finally I will look at childrens dramatic event as a friendly fulfill using examples from other cultures and then briefly consider the reasons that children themselves believe they extend.It is rail at to assume that children have always monkeyed. Historian, Aries (1962 in Book 1 understanding childishness Chapter 2) guideed that childhood was a genial construction and that the sen epochnt of childhood as a separate state did not march on until around the 16th and 17th century before this, children were economically helpful and not valued for the simple joy that children tidy sum bring. This was further illustrated by Mayhew (1861 in Book 1 Understanding childhood Chapter 1), whos observations from his encounter with the watercress girl led him to state that she had been deprived of her childhood.This was largely collectible to the f turn that the girls work responsibilities did not allow clipping for unravel and she had no knowledge of parks or anything associated with play. From this it could be deduced that Mayhew mat children should play. Mayhews example besides showed that play is a social construction, as although it was clear that the watercress girl did not play, the fact that Mayhew suggests this is abnormal whitethorn simply be constructed from his own opinions that childhood should be a succession of play.One of the first attempts to explain the importance of play came from the publication of Emile by Jean Jacques Rousseau in (1762 in Book 3 Understanding puerility Chapter 1). In this, Rousseau emphasized that childhood should be a time of play and children should have the emancipation to do this. For Rousseau, play is consistent with a clever healthy childhood, which is practically linked with the romantic discourse. This is in contrast with the puritan discourse which believes that allowing children to play is a risk to the civilization cultivatees, as this can only be achieved through strict discipline. It also believes parents should be trustworthy for channeling childrens play into creative forms of work which will helpchildren to picture morally and intellectually. It is obvious therefore that these theories differ in their approaches to play. For the Romantic perspective play is a way that children can express themselves, but for the prude approach, play is the way through which children learn.Other opinions, much(prenominal) as those from growthalists comparable as Piaget (1896 1980 in Book 3 Understanding childhood Chapter 1) saw play as an opportunity where children learn, practice and consolidate wise skills and furthermore play provides them with a time where failing during a line of work was not going to have disastrous consequences. Vygotskys view on the reason why children play is different (1896-1934 in Book 3 Understanding Childhood Chapter 1) as he believed that play was a important part in childrens social development in that it helps them go skills to learn to cop-operate with others.Play is also important for childrens cognitive development as children uptake psychological tools during play such as vocabulary and memory. Through play children learn, explore and extend their skills, for example Vygotsky suggested that when children play take a crap, they can experiment with adult roles and ways of that otherwise wouldntt be possible for them. It is obvious therefore that for Piaget and Vygotsky, the reason children play is to learn.However, psychoanalysts like Freud(1920 in Book 3 Under standing Childhood Chapter 1) were more interest in the significance of play for their emotional development, suggesting that a childs psyche could be revealed through their play. Freud suggested from his enquiry that play could have a therapeutic effect as it allowed children to rid themselves of negative feelings. Freuds views were the mental synthesis block for others like his daughter Anna who set up nursery for children during the reciprocal ohm world war and recognised that observing childrens play had probable as a method of diagnosis, as well as cosmos of therapeutic value for children who had escortd emotional trauma in their lives. Similarly, Klein apply miniature dolls as resources that children could use to enact out their inner feelings and anxieties. This shows that psychologists such as Klein and both Anna and Sigmund Freud felt that children play to deal with emotional events in their lives.There are several different types of play, but I shall dressed ore on role play now and why children engage in this type of play. This has been widely researched by Mead (1934 in Book 3 Understanding Childhood Chapter 1),who felt pretend and make believe situations are polar for childrens personal development. Through role play, children are able to calculate themselves in other roles which helps their developing sense of identity, and through this children develop a sense of who they are and also how others see them.This was highlighted in Activity 2 (p8 in Book 3 Understanding Childhood Chapter 1) which contained an extract from Bascoms (1969 in Book 3 Understanding Childhood Chapter 1) research in Nigeria. It involved interviewing a father while his 3 children notice the process and invented a new game from these observations. The activity asked us to think well-nigh the significance of this new game. The first child sat on Bascoms chair holding a pen and news report the second child sat in the interpreters chair (occupied previous to this by their father) while the third child sat on the bench imitating the so-and-so.In the example, the second child told the third child to tell the first child about Odua. The third child then replied and from this the second child interpreted this and relayed it to the anthropologist in a string of meaningless sounds, supposedly echo the English language. The first child who was meant to be the anthropologist then wrote on the paper and replied in more meaningless sounds, and so the sequence was repeated. The role-play that the Yoruba children undertook involved good imitation to impersonate the 3 adults and their gestures, even their language and the sequence of events.A similar study occurred in the UK by Kehily et al (2002in Book 3 Understanding Childhood Chapter 1) whose research was carried out through extensive interviews which were strait taped with children in their school. It was found that children incorporated the tape rec come out into their games and discussions often imitating the structure of the interview process, even when they werent being recorded.both of these researches on role play support Meads surmise (1934 in Book 3Understanding Childhood Chapter 1) that children have the ability to observe others and then use these observations to imitate others. The reasons children do this according to Mead is that it helps them to make sense of new and unacquainted(predicate) situations.Role play is further explored in video 3 destiny 3 pretend play featuring Melissa and Hadleigh aged 4, playing florists chrysanthemum and baby at nursery school. This example further supports Meads claim by showing that pretend play helps children to act out unreal roles.Perhaps one of the most important features of play is that it is a social process. Thomas Gregor (1977in Book 3 Understanding Childhood Chapter 1) studied childrens games in Mehinaku, Brazil, and believed that games mirrored the structure and values of adult society. He observed a game of tene ju itai (womens sons), this involved children marrying and carving a baby from a lump of earth. The mother then mimics cradling the baby, which later dies, and is buried in a hole. As early childhood death is a common occurrence for this Brazilian tribe, this game prepares children for the possible death of a sib or playmate.This game also shows it is non competitive, did not involve hierarchies and did not list winners or losers. In contrast, in the UK, Laura and Aalliyah (Video 3 exercise set 3) use their imaginations in their role play acting out difficult emotions such as rivalry, conflict and death. These children are in a culture where they are defend from issues such as death and pretend play may provide children a way of exploring themes and issues that are not part of their daily life. Both examples also support Freuds theory that children use play to act worrying or troublesome situations, and that play is a way in which children can express their feelings.Play, as a social process is not always a positive experience as Meads theory seemed to suggest. During play children can have many decisions to make and negotiate such as who can or cant play, meaning play can sometimes produce power relations and social hierarchies amongst children. This was shown in research by Thorne (1999 in Book 3 Understanding Childhood Chapter 1) whos observations found that in the games that they played, childrencreated gender boundaries with single sex friendships, and that children may use play to achieve a position of high place within their group.Furthermore, play helps childrens identities develop as research with boys in Western societies showed that the play which boys engaged in involved language and animalism which was often competitive, and that they engaged in this type of play in order to help them achieve their masculine identity. This was further supported by research by Epstein (1997 in Book 3 Understanding Childhood Chapter 1) which suggested that c hildren engage in skipping rhymes and games such as kiss chase in the vacation spot in order to help construct their gender identity.Finally, it was also suggested by Back (1990 in Book 3 Understanding Childhood Chapter 1) that the play that these boys engaged in was not just play for playing involvement but was also a method used to test the boundaries of friendship, and to sink who was or was not included in their group.Finally, as the research so far has been from adults, it is important to consider what childrens views are on why they play. One reason why children play is that it is a time when they can withdraw from reality and create their own fantasy world. This is seen with Joshua, (VIDEO 3 BAND1) whos favourite type of play seems to be reading. He states that he reads because through doing this he can escape into an imaginary world. He reads, believe it to be important as it broadens his imagination and aids his learning.This example also shows that as well as being a so cial process, play can also be solitary. This video also shows Tinco who states that he plays at the temple to find peace and freedom which he does not experience in his home village. The reason Sean seems to play is that he enjoys being in the dark tunnel with his friends playing scary, daring games. These examples show simply that children themselves play for reasons such as to learn, find enjoyment and to have peace and freedom away from adults.These examples showed that it is evident all children play but the way they play can vary depending upon culture. This was also highlighted by Opie and Opie (1969) who researched on childrens playground culture which found thatthe same rhyming games had been around for a tenacious time, they just varied from culture to culture.We have seen therefore that different approaches have contrasting reasons as to why children play, and furthermore that children have different reasons as to why they play.One type of play which children engage in is role play which has been said to play an important part in the development of children modify them to make sense of situations and form identities. Furthermore, children play as it is a social process which allows children to act out roles in order to help them make sense of situations around them, enabling them to gain an understanding of how others see them which in turn aids their identity development.REFERENCESBook 1 Understanding Childhood Chapter 2 U212 Understanding Childhood, The disperse University, Milton KeynesBook 1 Understanding Childhood Chapter 6 U212 Understanding Childhood, The Open University, Milton KeynesBook 3 Understanding Childhood, Chapter 1 U212 Understanding Childhood, The Open University, Milton KeynesBook 3 Understanding Childhood, Study Guide Audio and Visual notes, building block 16 U212, The Open University, Milton KeynesBook 3, Understanding Childhood, Video 3 band 1 My SpaceU212 Understanding Childhood, The Open University.Book 3, Understanding Childhood, Video 3 band 3 Pretend PlayU212 Understanding Childhood, The Open University.