How Child-Led Play Supports Holistic Development

3rd September 2024 All Posts

How Child-Led Play Supports Holistic Development in Early Years Education

Do you remember the determination you felt as a child when you “just wanted to do it yourself“? Or perhaps, as an early years educator, you’ve witnessed a child’s frustration when you try to help them, only to be met with resistance. This strong desire for independence and pride in their own learning is a natural part of childhood development.

We recently explored this concept in our article, Letting Them Lead: How Child-Led Learning Sparks Creativity and Engagement. In it, we discuss how child-initiated play, supported by adults, leads to meaningful learning experiences that cater to each child’s unique needs and interests. If you haven’t read it yet, we highly recommend checking it out here.

In this article, we will look into how child-led play contributes to holistic development. At Connect Childcare, we believe that understanding and integrating these concepts is essential for creating a nurturing and effective learning environment for young children.

Understanding holistic development in early years education

To truly grasp the value of child-led play, it’s important to understand what “holistic development” means in early years education.

Holistic development sees children as individuals with many connected needs. It’s about supporting every aspect of a child’s growth—physical, emotional, social, spiritual, and intellectual. When educators take a holistic approach, they see each child as a “whole child,” focusing not just on academic skills, but on their overall wellbeing. Every child is unique, learning in their own way, with their own strengths and areas that might need more support. This perspective helps educators offer the right kind of help where it is needed the most.

What is the “whole child”?

Supporting the “whole child” means looking beyond just educational milestones. It’s about helping children grow in all areas, including their social skills, emotional health, and other important aspects of development.

By creating safe and supportive environments, children are encouraged to learn, explore, and take charge of their own growth. It’s crucial to let them lead their own play and learning decisions, while educators provide guidance and supervision. Children should have the freedom to choose what they want to learn and where. Children are more motivated and engaged when they can follow their own interests and make their own choices.

The 5 key areas of holistic development in EYFS

In the context of the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS), holistic development is broken down into five essential areas:

Physical development: promoting health, coordination, and motor skills through activities that encourage movement and physical exploration.

Emotional development: helping children understand and manage their emotions, build resilience, and develop a strong sense of self.

Social development: building the skills needed for positive interactions with others, including communication, cooperation, and empathy.

Spiritual development: encouraging a sense of wonder, curiosity, and respect for the world, and supporting children as they explore their own beliefs and values.

Intellectual development: stimulating cognitive growth through problem-solving, creativity, and critical thinking activities that challenge and engage the mind.

How child-led play enhances holistic development

Child-led play is a powerful stimulant for holistic development because it naturally involves all five of these areas. As children play and explore on their own terms, they engage their bodies, interact socially, express and manage emotions, reflect on their experiences, and think critically. This comprehensive engagement ensures that their development is not only well-rounded but also deeply connected to their individual interests and experiences.

The role of play in holistic child development

Play is a cornerstone of holistic child development, a concept that can be traced back to the 18th and 19th centuries. It’s widely believed that the term was popularised by Friedrich Froebel, a German educator who founded the first “kindergarten.” Froebel’s ideas about the importance of play have had a lasting impact on early years education.

Early years expert and lecturer Dawn Rigby recently wrote about how Froebel’s principles have deeply influenced her teaching approach. Many of his ideas are now central to her practice, which is why she strongly advocates for a play-based curriculum.

As early years educators, we know that play is crucial for children’s learning and supports every aspect of their development. However, there is still some confusion about what play truly involves and why it’s so valuable. To gain deeper insights into this theory and understand the essential role of play in a child’s development, check out Dawn’s blog post here.

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