The topic of play is fundamental to understanding how children grow and learn. Play in Early Childhood Education Second Edition is an essential introduction to the theories behind this play and how it relates to children’s development and learning. It enables students and educators to understand the complex learning theories, professional practice and selected government policies that focus on children’s play and early learning. This user-friendly text also tackles the rapidly changing contexts where children are raised and educated, demonstrating diverse approaches to play-based learning and considering new insights and possibilities.

Features:

• Includes a wide range of real life case examples; teaching examples; and reflections covering the birth to 8 years age range to illustrate theory in practice
• Expert author team of early childhood academics
• Cross-cultural contexts – examines the power of play in facilitating young children’s development and learning in many diverse contexts including Australia, Cambodia, Finland, Tanzania, Singapore and Hong Kong.

New to this edition:

• Revised to take account of recent significant national policy changes in early childhood in Australia (and in other selected countries) which focus on the interpretation and implementation of Early Years Learning Framework (EYLF) and the National Quality Standard – students will see direct links between play and these policy documents.
• Chapters have been re-organised and re-named to better match course content and to assist students’ navigation, and understanding of key topic areas, including:
• developing early childhood curriculum
• assessing children including the use of learning stories
• inquiry based learning
• ICT and its use with young children
• facilitating leadership in young children
• working with infants and toddlers
• play in the lives of Aboriginal children
• consumer culture and its impact on young children’s play
• learning through science exploration
• literacy learning through play
• urban spaces and play including play space in the virtual world
• the play-work interconnection
• curriculum development and play for children in Finland and other countries; guiding children’s behaviour.