Assignment #6: Play Documentation Project

SPS 01.05 SPS 03.09 SPS 52.0 SPS 53.0

NAEYC 4

Description: Play is the foundation of good early childhood programming.  In today’s society, the importance of play is often questioned.  Early childhood educators need to be secure in their understanding of the benefits of play in order to validate a play-based curriculum.  The purpose of the documentation board project is to answer the question, “What is the value of play?”

Directions: This project will be based on your documentation of a play experience of a child/children and explaining the benefits of this play experience through a visual presentation.  The outline for the project is as follows:

1. Document a play experience involving one child or several children in your classroom; not in the playground. It should not be a teacher directed experience. It could involve materials such as blocks, play dough, manipulatives, dress up props, or any of the materials available at any of the learning centers in a preschool classroom. (S4a).

2. Write down what you see and what the child/children says/say. (S4b)

3. Provide visual documentation of the play experience will include 6 – 8 photos and quotes of the children’s verbal interactions (photo captions). (S4b) (Be sure that permission is secured from the administration to take pictures of the children.)

4. Write down the Play Descriptions –how did play develop, the age of child/children, setting, etc.

5. A Summary of the developmental growth, or learning taking place in each developmental area as a result of this particular play. Documentation should illustrate how the child/children used the materials and what growth/learning occurred in each of the developmental domains. (S4c)

Include all domains: Physical development (including gross and fine motor), Social development, Emotional development, Language development, and Cognitive development (including creativity and specific concepts). (S4c)  

6. Based on the knowledge gained from the growth or learning that took place in each developmental area, how and what would you do to scaffold the child/children’s learning based on their developmental milestones. (i.e. activities, materials in the class, etc.) (S1c, S4b).

7. Using a multimedia presentation share the play documentation project in class.

8. Presentation: Time 3-5 minutes, and ability to explain without reading the value of the play experience through the developmental domains and specific milestones. It must be organized, clear, and engaging.