ArticlePDF Available

The Importance of Free Play in Early Childhood and Primary School Education: Critical Analysis for Romania

Authors:

Abstract

Play is the most important activity for a child. Through play he develops social, emotional and cognitive skills. The value of play is recognised by researchers because of the intellectual achievement and emotional well-being. From all types of play, unfortunately , free play is the least used in the daily program in kindergartens and primary schools in most of the European countries. When the child is free to play, he develops all his personality traits during it. He learns how to communicate with peers, to act or react in different situations, to respect some rules, etc. All these reasons determined us to study the most important theoretical approaches and data about free play and to initiate a theoretical study concerning a critical analysis of using free play in early childhood and primary school education in Romania. The aims of the study were to define and to list some of the most important characteristics of free play, to highlight the advantages and limits of this type of play and to encourage practitioners to use it in their educational program in kindergartens and primary schools. Even if there are a lot of benefits of free play, and children enjoy it, this type of play has been replaced with structured activities, based on teaching. All these, due to the fact that in preschool, teachers have to prepare children for school requirements, providing academic skills.
Educ Res Appl, an open access journal
ISSN: 2575-7032
1 Volume 2018; Issue 02
Educational Research Applications
Review Article
Catalano H. Educ Res Appl: ERCA-150.
The Importance of Free Play in Early Childhood and Primary
School Education: Critical Analysis for Romania
Horatiu Catalano*
Department of Educational Sciences, Faculty of Education Sciences, Babes- Bolyai University, Cluj-Napoca, Romania
*Corresponding author: Horatiu Catalano, Department of Educational Sciences, Faculty of Education Sciences, Babes- Bolyai
University, Cluj-Napoca, Romania. Tel: +40744790372; Email: horatiu.catalano@ubbcluj.ro
Citation: Catalano H (2018) The Importance of Free Play in Early Childhood and Primary School Education: Critical Analysis for
Romania. Educ Res Appl: ERCA-150. DOI: 10.29011/2575-7032/100050
Received Date: 11 May, 2018; Accepted Date: 21 May, 2018; Published Date: 28 May, 2018
Abstract
Play is the most important activity for a child. Through play he develops social, emotional and cognitive skills. The value of
play is recognised by researchers because of the intellectual achievement and emotional well-being. From all types of play, unfor-
tunately, free play is the least used in the daily program in kindergartens and primary schools in most of the European countries.
When the child is free to play, he develops all his personality traits during it. He learns how to communicate with peers, to act
or react in different situations, to respect some rules, etc. All these reasons determined us to study the most important theoretical
approaches and data about free play and to initiate a theoretical study concerning a critical analysis of using free play in early
childhood and primary school education in Romania. The aims of the study were to dene and to list some of the most important
characteristics of free play, to highlight the advantages and limits of this type of play and to encourage practitioners to use it in their
educational program in kindergartens and primary schools. Even if there are a lot of benets of free play, and children enjoy it, this
type of play has been replaced with structured activities, based on teaching. All these, due to the fact that in preschool, teachers
have to prepare children for school requirements, providing academic skills.
DOI: 10.29011/2575-7032/100050
Keywords: Childhood; Development; Free play; Learning;
Social skills; Well-being
Introduction
Most researchers, early theorists and practitioners claim
that play is at the heart of the child’s development. This is the
main means by which to develop intrinsic motivation, ability to
make decisions, solve problems, follow their own rules, control
their emotions, make friends and interact with them, and also
experience joy.
One of the great psychologists, supporters of play, Frobel,
claims that play is the form of an outward manifestation of the
inner feelings of children. Where else than in free play, does the
child manifest his inner feelings more clearly? In this sense, we
argue that “Reconsideration of free play is not only the most
valuable gift we can give to children, but it is also an essential gift
if we want them to develop physically, mentally and emotionally
as future competent adults” [1].
Although the advantages of play in general and of the free
play, in particular, are obvious, in the last half century we notice a
“detouring of it, in favor of learning” [2]. According to the studies,
during the same period, anxiety, depression, feeling of helplessness
and narcissism grew dramatically among children, adolescents and
young people. These situations are also supported by American
psychologist Peter Gray (2014) who states that the decline of play
has led to the emergence of psychopathology in these age groups.
It is not proven that the main cause of these problems is the lack of
play, but certainly one of the main causes is this. Play is found in
human specic activity from birth, when the child is playing freely,
or by imitation. With the aging, play is developing, new variants
and types are being introduced, more or less directed by adults and
its content is more comprehensive. Unfortunately, however, free
play diminishes as time and importance while the child follows an
institutionalized form of education: children play freely in the rst
6 years of life and then, during school program, learning becomes
the main activity for kids.
In order to support this type of play, we will rst try to
achieve a theoretical delimitation of it. Thus, for this term, in
the literature of early childhood education, the following names
have been identied: self-play / unstructured play / practical play
/ opened play / intentional or self-initiated play. In the documents
Citation: Catalano H (2018) The Importance of Free Play in Early Childhood and Primary School Education: Critical Analysis for Romania. Educ Res Appl: ERCA-150.
DOI: 10.29011/2575-7032/100050
2 Volume 2018; Issue 02
Educ Res Appl, an open access journal
ISSN: 2575-7032
specic to early education in Romania, the term used is that of free
play. In order to identify the many valences it has in the life of the
child from birth to primary school age, but also further on, we will
present a series of denitions, identied in literature at national
and international level.
According to the Good Practice Guidelines for Early
Childhood Education for 3-6 / 7-year-olds (2008), free play is “the
type of play the child uses throughout the day in various forms.
Free plays are the chosen, proposed, child-initiated plays without
adult intervention. He alone chooses the place, the toys and the
type of play he/ she wants “ [3].
In the work From Play to Learning, where the authors support
free-play learning, it is dened as a “natural learning process that
ensures the individual, whether child or adult, total meaning and
deep learning” (Nell, Drew, 2016, p. 10) [1].
In Pedagogy Dictionary, Schaub and Zenke (2001) dene
free play as “a form of play in which children freely choose
their teammates, content and learning objectives. It is not a xed
program, and the activity is not directed by adults. Children go from
the spatial and social learning conditions that are offered to them
and organize various plays with materials or circles, whispering,
role-play, kites, etc. “ [4].
Renowned British teacher, Ken Robinson, in Creative
Schools, denes free play as “the means by which children learn
to make friends, overcome their fears, solve their problems, and
generally take control of their own lives. It is also the primary
means by which children practice and acquire physical and
intellectual skills. Things that children learn through their own
initiatives in free play cannot be taught in other ways “[5,6].
Free play is one of the main types of activities used in the
pedagogy of Waldorf and Montessori, both of which being based
on respecting child’s freedom. In the Waldorf kindergarten daily
program, free play lasts about 1.5-2 hours a day, giving it special
importance because through it, the child’s personality develops. The
created atmosphere is based on harmony, quietness, but also action
and involvement. The role of the educator is to create and sustain
this atmosphere, but also to ensure that each child is involved in a
meaningful activity. Here, the child perceives reality, understands
the experiences he or she lives and learns about life facts. The
subject and its action are gradually being built by transguring
reality into the imaginary plane, the child thus creating a world
of his own, with his proper rules and his chosen playmates. Free
play can be developed individual or in groups, can be initiated by a
child or a group of children. The fact is that if it seems interesting,
many children will join.
As far as the educational environment specic to the
Montessori education is concerned, it is necessary for it to provide
the preschooler with all the materials he needs in order to be used
freely in all kinds of activities that the children carry out.
Analyzing the offered denitions and the specic aspects of
play in the specied educational alternatives, we note that most of
them refer to the benets it has to the development of the child,
the stages of development, the way of adult involvement and the
materials used. In order to address this issue in a comprehensive
way, we consider that the following aspects are related to the
free play: the socio-cultural background of the child, the gender
differences, the afnities for different colleagues, or the dependence
/ independence of the adult present in the created environment.
We will explain the specications, through a brief presentation of
the basic ideas related to the stated ones. Thus, the preschooler or
pupil’s socio-cultural background determines the choice of play
type, family routines and cultural artefacts, clearly determining
how he/she plays. So that there are differences between the free
plays of children in urban and rural areas, but also according to
the social status of the families they come from. So, the day-to-
day activities of every child’s family members will cause his
childish play. However, there may be minor behavioral changes
due to the imitation of the behavior of others, so social dynamics
is encouraged. In rural areas, for example, children’s plays develop
outside with toys made by them in a large play zone nearby the
house. However, free play is affected by different working activities
that these children have to do (feeding the animals, help parents to
do the cleaning/household, etc). In urban areas, nowadays playing
often takes place indoor because the play zones near blocks of ats
are not secure (in parents’ opinion) and there are few situations in
which children can get outside, in the park or another play zones.
Also, gender differences make a major contribution to
children’s options for the games they choose. Blaise (2005)
examined the ways in which preschool children in a kindergarten in
the urban environment were self-dening behaviorally as boys and
girls. They have demonstrated that there are individual precepts
of what each must play, according to gender, thus setting up boys’
specic games and girls-specic games. The choices are due to
family customs, in particular, but also to instinctive tendencies.
Rare are situations where a boy will play “girls” games or vice
versa [7]. Usually, boys advocate for construction plays, role-plays,
daily life plays, while girls would chose role-playing, drawing or
painting activities, etc., but rarely construction plays (except for
special legos for girls).
As a result of these, we assert that the valences of the free
play are numerous, depending on the aspects pursued by the
teacher. So, we will present them as a result of his theoretical and
practical study, but also expressing our point of view. Regarding
the chosen analysis criteria, we believe to have referred to areas
of development specic to preschool education, with an extension
to primary school pupils, given that the nalities are based on
varied competences. From the point of view of socio-emotional
Citation: Catalano H (2018) The Importance of Free Play in Early Childhood and Primary School Education: Critical Analysis for Romania. Educ Res Appl: ERCA-150.
DOI: 10.29011/2575-7032/100050
3 Volume 2018; Issue 02
Educ Res Appl, an open access journal
ISSN: 2575-7032
development, free play:
Reduces anxiety;•
Creates good-mood;•
Determines emotional exibility;•
Develops calmness, resilience, adaptability and ability to cope •
with unexpected changes and events;
Promote collaboration and cooperation;•
Cultivate perseverance and concentration;•
Determines self-discipline;•
Allows the child to make mistakes; learning from mistakes, •
through play, will not feel the pressure of loss.
Promotes compassion;•
Develops the ability to make choices;•
Forms skills for planning and organizing an activity;•
Shaping relationships based on trust;•
“The child who plays carefully on his own initiative and •
persists until he physically becomes physically tired will
denitely be a determined person capable of sacricing to
promote himself or herself own and others” [1].
From a cognitive point of view, we identify the benets of this
type of play on intellectual development because:
It is based on • playful learning;
Encourages divergent thinking;•
Supports learning through research that children do during •
free play [2];
Strengthens brain neural connections [8];•
Develops independent thinking [9];•
Determines learning based on test and error [9];•
Contributes to the development of multiple intelligences •
through the type of activity initiated in the play;
Cultivate talent;•
Develops thinking operations;•
Supports research-based learning;•
Surely assures the development of creativity ow, transforming •
creative sensory experience into thinking [10]. Children
“imagine, interpret and make predictions, expressing their
thoughts through words and images, and perhaps even through
actions that go beyond experiencing the play. The creativity
thus generated enhances their ability to think, feel, and engage
in more complex communication with others “ [1].
Develops the intrinsic motivation (the child plays to meet his •
play needs) and therefore the need for self-satisfaction, the
child being in the ow state, involving total engagement in
the play [10];
Cultivates the will as a result of the disappearance of the •
barrier between autonomy and shame in the playing state
[10], the child dares to carry out various actions or activities,
as long as it does not endanger his safety, which needs to be
ensured by the adult;
Develops language and implicitly intrapersonal and •
interpersonal communication. Most children start talking to
others during free play, without constraints or the sentiment of
being tracked and corrected by someone. Children also share
with parents what they have played freely in kindergarten or
school.
From a physical point of view, free play has the following
attributes:
Positive emotions during play determine the health of •
the immune system, the endocrine and the cardiovascular
system;
Reduces fatigue and stress;•
Develops agility, coordination and exibility;•
According to the • American Academy of Pediatricians (2011),
free play causes the child to delight, which indicates its
value.
Although the play’s attributes are special for the harmonious
development of the individual, an obstacle to his development is
also the electronic toys and devices (the “free play” being present
and within them, according to their creators, an assertion that we
disagree with, because everything is monitored, veried, charged
or appreciated, the play being individual, not free) that blocks
socialization. In order to diminish their negative consequences, it
is necessary to judge judiciously the time allocated by the adult
and to emphasize the importance of the play in the spare time.
Ways of Organizing and Developing Free Play
Free play can be found in both preschool and primary
education. If at the preschool level, the time allocated to this play
is higher, primary school pupils can play freely during school
breaks, in the classroom or in the yard. Games initiated by them
are not based on a rich material, but they are aimed in particular
at team games, co-operation, socializing, and role-playing games.
How students play free plays can provide information about
their personality. To this extent, the teacher of primary or school
Citation: Catalano H (2018) The Importance of Free Play in Early Childhood and Primary School Education: Critical Analysis for Romania. Educ Res Appl: ERCA-150.
DOI: 10.29011/2575-7032/100050
4 Volume 2018; Issue 02
Educ Res Appl, an open access journal
ISSN: 2575-7032
education will attempt to observe these activities with a certain
frequency in the preparatory class, being a real help in completing
the student assessment report at the end of the preparatory class.
It is necessary for the teacher to allocate some free time during
the daily program, given that the teaching-learning-evaluation
activities cover 30-35 minutes of the class, the rest of the time
being for free-chosen recreational activities. Also, in Class II, III
and IV, teaching-learning-evaluation activities cover 45 minutes,
while the remaining time is benecial for such activity. In this
situation, the teacher should allow students to use the materials in
the classroom for optimal performance of the play. At young school
age, children’s interest focuses on artistic, literary, reading, or
writing activities, role play, or free discussion on certain topics.
Another good time to introduce free play would be the
Morning meeting. Thus, children become relaxed and get better
outcomes in learning activities. In this sense, I initiated a concluding
experiment within the class that I am guiding (in the educational
alternative Step by Step): throughout a week, during the Morning
meeting, I allocated 15 minutes of free play, after which the students
were engaged in learning activities in open centers. In a proportion
of 85%, students focused their attention more on their work tasks
compared to the same time period in which free play was not
introduced. These positive results were conrmed by the students,
who claimed that they liked more to work in centers because they
played and had fun before. It is necessary to specify that, as a
teacher, I did not intervene directly in the play, unless I was asked
to do so, the activities being chosen by the child, depending on
their own interests or provisions. Instead, students were allowed to
use all the materials in the classroom, providing they put them in
place after the play ended and to “share” them with the others. We
also asked children to use indoor voice throughout the play. As a
result of the above, it is obvious that the free play of young school
children is one of the most popular types of play.
Regarding the daily schedule of the child in the kindergarten,
free play can be found in the rst part of the day but also after
the resting period. In the rst case, we mean the time the child
spends from his arrival at kindergarten until breakfast is served,
during which he chooses what and how he wants to play. During
the afternoon activities, this type of play is used before leaving
home. However, the time allocated to free play in the kindergarten
program is insufcient, given the multiple aspects it possesses.
Within the preschool education curriculum, this type of play
is integrated into the category of learning activities, alongside
didactic play, storytelling, experiment and exercises with
individual material, but “Learning activities are a set of actions
with a planned character, systematically, methodically, intensively,
organized and led by the teaching staff, in order to achieve the
nalities provided in the curriculum “(Curriculum for Preschool
Education, 2008, p.18). Analyzing this rst approach, we argue
that free play is NOT a learning activity because it is not based
on learning objectives established by the educator, being initiated,
deployed and driven by the child only, not planned. Free play is
based on the choice of children to do what they want, as they wish,
when and as much as they wish, not focusing on the objectives and
content of the curriculum. Even if adults provide the right space
and resources, children are the ones who take the lead, and adults
respond to their requirements [11]. Through it, children manipulate
different objects, perform certain movements, experiment, all
these actions causing satisfaction in the play. Due to the fact that
there are no imposed tasks, the child learns more quickly about the
world around him, about the effects of his action on objects and at
the same time about him, what he is capable or not able to do.
Free play gives the teacher a real knowledge of the personality
of the preschooler because all the knowledge, abilities and skills
he possesses are manifested spontaneously, freely and without
constraints, their manifestation being as natural as possible. All his
actions prove the knowledge of the world, their attitudes towards
different situations, things or people. Depending on the type of
play chosen, construction, role play or symbolic, it is easy to see
his inclinations or how the child translates real situations into his
or her life. For example, if we see him playing with a car, we’ll
see what things he knows about cars, what scenarios inspired by
real life he invents, what characters, events, or actions appear
during the play. Depending on how he perceived them, we can see
the types of relationships he sets between the characters and the
language used. The internal language is outlined, the child speaks
with the objects and the toys, so it is important that the teacher also
follows this aspect. Also, if he plays a game like “To ...”, we will
see how the child translates his own experiences into play, either as
a spectator of the events around him or as the main character. There
are situations where the child does not need materials to play freely.
He imagines animated situations and realizes a scenario without
too many objects. Although play is perceived by the adult as an
effortless activity, the child makes a sustained effort to get it done.
Even if he is free, creative, he develops the subject of the play,
looks for partners, plays roles that he assumes, sets and respects his
own rules, the play activity becomes work for him. In this regard,
if instructed, the educator / adult can intervene in complicating
the play, integrate in the play, interpret a character, appreciate
the child’s behavior and encourage co-operation in the play.
Although free play is much enjoyed by children, it has been
diminished by structured activities (based on learning activities)
involving children, parents’ anxiety about children’s school
success, excessive preschool / school education structuring etc. A
simple observation of children’s daily activities leads us to claim
that all these are structured by “adult coaches”, rare being the
situations when children play in the neighborhood (“behind the
block”), parents organizing their daily schedule according to their
own desires and aspirations. Overworking children with structured,
internalized or outsourced activities, along with shorter free time,
Citation: Catalano H (2018) The Importance of Free Play in Early Childhood and Primary School Education: Critical Analysis for Romania. Educ Res Appl: ERCA-150.
DOI: 10.29011/2575-7032/100050
5 Volume 2018; Issue 02
Educ Res Appl, an open access journal
ISSN: 2575-7032
has long-lasting effects on children’s development, including lack
of sleep, inattention, irritability, sudden mood swings, etc.
Although all researchers support the importance of play
in children’s development and especially free play, the early
education practitioners’ tendency is to eliminate the playing time
of the daily program and to introduce and increasingly use learning
activities structured on scientic content (see normal / extended
daily kindergarten program from Curriculum for early childhood
education for 3-6 / 7-year-olds). The same document proposes,
besides free play activities, free-choice activities. The subject of
free-choice activities in the current daily program is chosen by the
educator, the goals being clearly set before, these being aimed at
learning and preparing the learning activities within the experiential
areas. The preschooler can only freely choose the center he / she
wants to work in (in the most fortunate situations). According to
their name, we think that it is necessary for the preschooler to be
left to freely choose what he wants to do, the theme to be freely
chosen, the manifestation to be free, to develop the subject of the
play according to his own desire, to look for play partners, but at
the same time adhere to good rules. It is advisable, however, that
they be induced progressively, rst allowing the child to play by
their own rules and, if necessary, to introduce others by the adult,
explaining the reasons for this.
As I have previously argued, at both preschool and
primary levels, the preparation of free play does not require any
particular effort on the part of the teacher. Being elected and
deployed by children according to their own interests, provisions
and inclinations, the teacher intervenes to a very small extent.
However, in order to ensure its effectiveness, it is necessary for
preschool children to be provided with materials with various uses
and the educational space to be well-arranged. The Playful habitat
seen as the ensemble of human, material, ergonomic and temporal
resources determines the efciency of organizing and unfolding
free play [12]. The plays, toys and objects in the group room and
the specic centers of interest can be effective tools for doing it
(cubes, mugs, plastic glasses, different vessels, boxes, construction
pieces, etc.). The use of toys can be the classic one, but also a new,
innovative one that indicates the child’s creativity. For example,
from a box and a few grains from the role play center, the child
can get a musical instrument to use in his free play. This situation
was reported during a doctoral internship held in Hungary, where I
noticed the efciency of using free play in the kindergarten, but also
a number of aspects regarding its development. Thus, the duration
of the exercise was at the choice of the children, in some cases
the educator suggesting by his behavior the completion of the free
play period. The teacher did not intervene in the children’s play,
except when requested or when a certain situation arose. Also, the
educational space was arranged to suggest a miniature house with
specic furnishings and facilities. This is why children skillfully
used toys that were household items (dishes, sweatshirts, vacuum
cleaners, clothing racks etc.), which obviously contribute to the
formation of practical household skills. An atmosphere of well-
being characterized the whole team, so that the group room was
dominated by smiles and good-mood. In the daily program, free
play was compulsory, outside the kindergarten too, regardless of
weather conditions, and the educator ensured the physical integrity
of the children. In each group room, there was a doorway to the
outside courtyard where a “play area” [13] was established, which
children respected in order to avoid dangers.
Setting up a playful habitat determines the enjoyment
of the play, involving children in this activity being dependent
on this aspect. Therefore, we consider that regardless of the
national specicity of the curriculum for early education, the
way of arranging the educational space, the role of the teaching
staff, but also the interest it gives to the free play, determines the
establishment of the ow state at the level of the children, state
indicating their total involvement in activity.
Ways of Promoting Free Play in Early Childhood
Education
Having the successful pattern of free play organization in
kindergartens in Hungary and the United States of America, where
the Ministry of Education recommends learning through play
during the rst years of life (1-5 years) and especially through play
at the child’s initiative [9], we believe that there can be a call to
action to promote free play in early education, as follows:
Organizing surveys conducted as a questionnaire survey on •
the place and role of free play in the daily schedule of children
in the kindergarten;
Allocating 60 minutes a day for free play (especially at •
preschool level);
Teacher training at all levels of education in order to know •
how free play can be used by children;
Organizing “play workshops” [1] for teachers, which may •
appear as “a series of experiences based on each other,
each contributing to the development of new knowledge
about teaching and learning” [1]. These workshops require
participants to choose how to play based on the materials made
available. “Those who can play with the various possibilities
... will be more alive than those who are waiting to be told
what to do “ [2].
Organizing play workshops for parents by teacher trainers;•
Organizing free afterschool playing centers in which parents •
and their children are integrated;
Campaigns to promote the free play of children in the family, •
as well as to organize joint activities at school (plays evenings,
Citation: Catalano H (2018) The Importance of Free Play in Early Childhood and Primary School Education: Critical Analysis for Romania. Educ Res Appl: ERCA-150.
DOI: 10.29011/2575-7032/100050
6 Volume 2018; Issue 02
Educ Res Appl, an open access journal
ISSN: 2575-7032
play centers, etc.), at home and, last but not least, in the outdoor
environment, because in this environment the child explores
the environment, discovers, tries, tests, fails, climbs and runs.
Conclusions
In this study, we’ve emphasized some theoretical and
practical aspects of free play. No doubt, that this is the most
important type of play, because of its benets for the future adult.
Taking into consideration all the information from our study, but
also primary and preschool teachers’ opinions, the time for free play
is more and more reduced during kindergarten/school time. Even
if they all agree that free play occupies an important role in child’s
development, they assert that the curriculum requirements and
standardized test don’t allow them to use it as long as they would
like to. The major problem concerning free play in private, and
play in general, stands in the “seriousness” of teaching and learning
act. If teachers and parents don’t have enough time and space for
playing, children lose interest for this activity, because they were
born “digital” being “native digital generation” [14]. These are the
reasons why children’s free time is conquered by digital devices.
At the same time, at the school age, there is a lack of interest for
free play caused by the precariousness of ludic habitat [12]. The
cited author claims the importance of adults in sustaining child’s
desire of play. If they do not ensure a secure place for playing and
a series of toys or different materials to play with, then playing is
not considered very interesting in this situation. This generation of
children need dynamic activities, to keep them busy all the time,
this is the reason why, in some situations, playing is different from
the previous period of time. This doesn’t means that children don’t
like to play, but they enjoy different kind of games, that’s why it’s
important for adults to leave them to play freely indoor or outdoor
for a minimum period of 60 minutes a day.
Because free play gives teachers and parents important
information about children’s abilities, knowledge, skills, afliation
and even attitudes towards person and things we think that it is
necessary to place free play on top of the pyramid of types of play.
At the same time, during free play, we have to focus our attention
on the aspects that create the well-being status of the children and
to support them in the activity of play.
References
Nell ML, Drew WF (2016) [De la joc la învățare]. București: Editura 1.
Trei.
Goldstein J (2012) Play in children’s development, health and well-2.
being. Toy Industries of Europe.
Ghid de bune practici pentru educația timpurie a copiilor de 3-6/7 ani. 3.
MEN. 2008.
Schaub H, Zenke KG (2001) [Dicționar de pedagogie]. Iași: Editura 4.
Polirom.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bg-GEzM7iTk, Robert Gray, The 5.
Decline of Play
Robinson K, Aronica L (2015) [Școli creative]. București: Editura Pub-6.
lica.
Wood EA (2014) Free choice and free play in early childhood educa-7.
tion: troubling the discourse. International Journal of Early Years Edu-
cation 22: 4-18.
https://www.ted.com/talks/stuart_brown_says_play_is_more_than_8.
fun_it_s_vital?language=ro.
Gummer A (2015) [Joaca. Soluții distractive pentru buna dezvoltare a 9.
copiilor în primii cinci ani]. București: Editura Trei.
Csikszentmihalyi M (1998) Finding Flow: The Psychology of Engage-10.
ment with Everyday Life. Basic Books.
Santer J, Griffiths C, Goodall D (2007) Free Play in Early Childhood A 11.
literature review. National Children’s Bureau.
Catalano H, Albulescu I (2018) [Pedagogia jocului și a activităților lu-12.
dice]. București: Editura Didactică și Pedagogică.
Lanza M (2013) Informal Playspaces Right Under Our Noses13. .
Prensky M (2001) Digital natives. Digital Immigrants. On the Horizon. 14.
NCB University Press, Vol. 9 No. 5 Vol.9.
... During free play activities, children are given the opportunity to choose the form and pattern of the game and build their own rules of play. In free play, children freely choose their play partners as well as the content of the play itself (Catalano, 2018). The implementation of free play is one of the vital learning activities in preschool education as it encompasses cognitive, social and emotional aspects. ...
... The environment outside the classroom is the most suitable place for children to learn and play as they can interact with friends and adults as well as interact with nature and materials. During free play activities, children are free to determine the type of game, rules and their role while playing Ministry of Education (2016) In addition, free play is also a form of play, where children freely choose their play partners, content and learning objectives (Catalano, 2018). It is an unstructured play program that is regulated by teachers and early childhood education practitioners. ...
... Allowing children to have more freedom to make choices in unstructured play activities may benefit their self-regulation and decision-making abilities in their academic tasks, and consequently lead to better school achievement (Lehrer et al., 2014). Moreover, free play was found to be beneficial to a child's intellectual development in terms of divergent thinking and independent thinking (Catalano, 2018). ...
... Gray (2011) found a connection between the decline in children's opportunities for free play over the past half-century and an increase in children's mental health problems, including anxiety, depression, suicide, helplessness, and narcissism. Free play was found to be having a positive impact on reducing children's anxiety, promoting good mood and emotional flexibility, and fostering calmness (Catalano, 2018). ...
Article
This exploratory study examined whether the kindergarten PLAYBAG intervention protocol administered for parents and children during the pandemic in Hong Kong could generate positive outcomes in embracing play freedom, fostering positive parent–child relationships, and promoting parents’ mental health. Self-administrated questionnaires were used to generate quantitative data before and after the distribution of the PLAYBAG intervention protocol. A total of 32 parents who completed both the pre-test and post-test were investigated regarding the outcomes of PLAYBAG. Recommendations from the study suggest enhancing the PLAYBAG protocol to address the specific needs of parents from different socio-economic backgrounds and help resolve the difficulties experienced by parents in engaging in free play with their children. Consideration should also be given to empowering children’s voices in the co-creation of a free play environment.
... The following statement "An education in creativity lies in the sweet spot between unstructured play and imitating models" (Eagleman & Brandt, 2017, p. 217) lead us to including in our paper suggestions for primary teachers to involve pupils in free play (this type of play is exclusively associated with the kindergarten activities). Catalano (2018) suggests that it is necessary also for the primary teacher to allocate some free time during the daily program, because they have time even in the given teachinglearning-evaluation activities (duration being approximatively 30 minutes in the Curricular Cycle of Fundamental Acquisitions, preparatory-II classes), not only in recreational activities. Thus, in the remaining time, the teacher should provoke pupils to use some space and the materials in the classroom especially designed for an optimal performance of the play, to exclude injuries or accidents in classroom. ...
Chapter
The belief that a new, original product can be generalized exclusively by a unique, brilliant mind is no longer a certainty. History has proved to us that most of the time the novelty appears in work teams, because of the group effort. In addition to declarative knowledge and cognitive skills, the current context requires several other soft skills that include the dimension of developing creativity and teamwork skills. In this paper we aim to identify modalities to develop creative student's skills by integrating them into activities that can be performed in groups. These approaches must be compatible with the particularities of the groups in the class and adapted to the curricular requirements, if they are implemented within the formal activities. But this idea can also be integrated into extracurricular activities. The big challenge for teachers is to emphasize the role of group activities and the benefits they have on the development of students' personality, and to put them in the context of activating creative potential. 2672-815X
... Bermain membantu kanakkanak mengembangkan kemahiran sosial dan emosi, serta meningkatkan kemahiran motor halus dan kasar mereka. Menurut Catalano (2018), bermain adalah aktiviti yang paling penting bagi kanak-kanak kerana ia membantu mereka mengembangkan kemahiran sosial, emosi, dan kognitif. Permainan bebas adalah kurang digunakan dalam program harian di tadika dan sekolah rendah, walaupun ia mempunyai banyak manfaat untuk perkembangan menyeluruh kanak-kanak. ...
Article
Full-text available
This study aims to assess the physical literacy level of preschool children in free play activities and determine the significant differences in physical literacy levels based on age and gender factors. The study employed a quantitative approach with a cross-sectional design. The study sample consisted of 88 preschool children aged 5 and 6 years from preschool classes in the PPD areas within Selangor State. Data were collected using preschool physicel literacy (CFP) assessment instrument covering four domains of physical literacy which is physical competence, motivation and confidence, knowledge and understanding, and physical behavior. Descriptive statistical analysis results show that children have high levels of physical competence and physical behavior in free play, while motivation and confidence, knowledge and understanding are at moderate levels. The Mann-Whitney U test shows no significant differences in physical literacy levels based on gender (p = .177) and age (p = .886). These findings highlight that implementing physical activities and free play in preschool does not require strict adjustments based on gender or age, supporting the principle of inclusivity in the preschool curriculum. This study suggests an inclusive approach that promotes the development of physical competence and motor skills for all children regardless of gender and age. The theoretical implications based on the Physical Literacy Domain Model indicate that positive experiences in physical activities can enhance children's self-efficacy, motivation, and confidence. Recommendations for future research include expanding the sample sizeconducting comparative studies between urban and rural areas, investigating the influence of other factors such as parental education and socioeconomic status, and designing intervention programs to enhance preschool children's physical literacy. In conclusion, this study provides important guidance for educators and policymakers in planning more effective programs to promote physical literacy among preschool children in Malaysia.
... Free play provides children with opportunities to explore and express their emotions, leading to positive emotional experiences and overall satisfaction. Studies indicate that free play can effectively reduce anxiety, promote emotional flexibility and calmness [18], aid in the development of emotional self-regulation and expression [16], as well as foster secure emotional attachments to help children cope with anxiety and stress [14,[19][20][21]. Unstructured play has also been found effective in promoting students' happiness and playfulness, which can contribute to their mental health and well-being during times of crisis and transition [8,22]. ...
Article
This study aimed to explore the process of co-creating free play experiences between parents and children in the context of the "PLAYBAG" project (a home-based free play intervention protocol) in Hong Kong. The study utilized the narrative inquiry approach and collected qualitative data from 24 parents who participated in the focus group interviews. This study has made significant contributions to social work practice in three ways. Firstly, it identified four core elements for parental education in kindergartens: relating rapport, capturing moments, co-creating new experiences, and re-authoring identity. These elements enhance parental education on home-based children's free play. Secondly, promoting free play in community education programs is crucial, emphasizing its benefits for mental health and parent-child relationships. Lastly, social workers can collaborate with designers to create suitable materials for home-based free play. Overall, this study provides practical strategies to enhance social work practice and benefit children and families.
... Woods et al. (1999) emphasized creativity in child-centered teaching. Creativity is closely related to problem-solving, curiosity, the ability to adapt to the environment, physical motor and mental health, and communication (May, 2011;Catalano, 2018;Bazhydai and Westermann, 2020;Fernández-Díaz et al., 2021;Runco, 2021;Fairclough, 2022). Therefore, creativity has a crucial relationship with resilience (Metzl and Morrell, 2008;Zutshi et al., 2021;Glover, 2022;De Lorenzo et al., 2023). ...
Article
Full-text available
The COVID-19 pandemic worldwide has had significant repercussions for early childhood education. In this article, we begin by discussing the impact of a world health pandemic on education and the challenges of conducting a literature review following the COVID-19 pandemic. Specifically, we examine the challenges of conducting a literature review on building resilience in young children in the digital era. The four sections categorize the resilience literature into the following themes: (1) defining resilience in young children, (2) powerful play for resilience in young children beyond the COVID-19 pandemic, (3) creative play building resilience in young children, and (4) digital puzzles for resilience: the case of early childhood classrooms in Indonesia. Each of the four themes is presented with a narrative whose content is current, followed by a literary consensus. The article ends with changes to build resilience in young children using creative play through digital puzzles. Digital puzzles as media for creative play support young children in developing skills that will make them happier and more resilient in overcoming daily hardships. Young children can become individuals who successfully face daily hardships creatively to reconstruct themselves after experiencing bad conditions due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
... The most significant early childhood development and growth promotion should be carried out by parents with the assistance of school teachers. Similar rules apply to the duty to encourage children to engage in active outdoor play (Catalano, 2018). However, it all depends on how parents interpret the value of unstructured outdoor play, which will encourage their kids' motor development. ...
Article
Full-text available
The development of fundamental motor skills (FMS) is crucial and should begin in early childhood. As of now, several early childhood educators in Indonesia, particularly in West Java, think that incorporating playground games into the classroom curriculum is the best course of action for raising children’s FMS. This study aimed to present statistics on FMS findings for early childhood who have incorporated physical activity into the curriculum and to demonstrate that these results are still in conflict with teachers’ beliefs. Ex post facto research was applied to one of the early childhood education pilot programs in West Java, Indonesia, including a total of 30 kids. This school’s long-standing intervention involves giving children 30 minutes of structured playtime and 30 minutes of unstructured playtime at the start of each learning period. The Test of Gross Motor Development-2 (TGMD-2) was used to measure FMS. The study’s findings showed that both boys’ and girls’ FMS in both locomotor and manipulating components of the movement were very lacking and inversely proportional to teachers’ belief who believe that this activity will improve children’s motor skills. It is recommended that physical education specialists accompany both structured and unstructured play programs conducted on school playgrounds so that the early childhood education curriculum's programs are properly validated to raise children's FMS following Developmentally Appropriate Practice (DAP).
... Permainan dengan peran tertentu merupakan salah satu permainan dengan status berpura-pura guna menjalankan suatu peran khusus, dan ini semua bertujuan memampukan anak untuk mengobservasi sesuatu yang baru ia temui (curiosity). Bermain merupakan moment emas bagi anak untuk mengekspresikan emosinya secara normal (Catalano, 2018;Suardi et al., 2020). Pendekatan sentra ini dapat dipertimbangkan sebagai model pembelajaran bagi pendidik untuk anak usia dini yang didesain untuk kebutuhan belajar di kelas atau di luar kelas. ...
Article
Full-text available
Memiliki kecerdasan intrapersonal dan sosial pada anak usia dini sangatlah penting. Salah satu aktivitas yang bisa dilakukan adalah dengan menggunakan metode pembelajaran sentra peran. Melalui aktivitas tersebut, anak diharapkan mampu mengenali dirinya, berkomunikasi serta mengontrol emosional dan sosialnya; akan tetapi, tidak jarang banyak guru atau pengajar yang cenderung mengabaikan aspek-aspek penting dalam melakukan asesmen dan tidak mengetahui bagaimana upaya meningkatkan kecerdasan tersebut. Studi ini bertujuan untuk menganalisis bagaimana asesmen dan pengembangan kecerdasan intrapersonal dan sosial melalui pembelajaran sentra peran yang dilakukan oleh para pendidik di Tarbiyatul Athfal (TA) Al-Manaar Al-Islamiyah, Ponorogo. Penelitian ini adalah metode kualitatif deskriptif dengan menggunakan pendekatan studi kasus. Teknik pengumpulan data dilakukan dengan observasi dan wawancara. Langkah analisis data yaitu reduksi, penyajian, verifikasi data dan penarikan kesimpulan. Hasil studi ini menunjukkan bahwa guru mampu menilai dengan beberapa teknik asesmen dan keterlibatan orang tua dan guru sangat penting dalam mengembangkan kecerdasan intrapersonal dan sosial anak. Hasil pembelajaran melalui sentra peran tersebut adalah anak mampu menumbuhkan kepercayaan diri, emosi serta karakter yang kuat
... The following statement "An education in creativity lies in the sweet spot between unstructured play and imitating models" (Eagleman & Brandt, 2017, p. 217) lead us to including in our paper suggestions for primary teachers to involve pupils in free play (this type of play is exclusively associated with the kindergarten activities). Catalano (2018) suggests that it is necessary also for the primary teacher to allocate some free time during the daily program, because they have time even in the given teachinglearning-evaluation activities (duration being approximatively 30 minutes in the Curricular Cycle of Fundamental Acquisitions, preparatory-II classes), not only in recreational activities. Thus, in the remaining time, the teacher should provoke pupils to use some space and the materials in the classroom especially designed for an optimal performance of the play, to exclude injuries or accidents in classroom. ...
Article
This case study focuses on Play-based Learning with game elements as a new dance teaching tool for young children. The research objective is to verify that the majority of games used by teachers in Malaysian preschools are based on guided play, which includes adults’ guidance and mentoring on a play, and that each game is designed to improve students’ cognitive and psychomotor development, social abilities, and academic skills. Researchers also emphasize that Play-based Learning with game elements can be used as a new teaching method of dance for young children who cannot follow teaching contents. To achieve these objectives, researchers discuss how games are used as a teaching method by two different preschools, investigate how these games are suitable for all students aged 4 to 6 years old, and examine the effect of games as teaching tools in Music and Movement classes. Utilizing the qualitative methodology, researchers interviewed teachers to investigate how teachers incorporate games in Music and Movement classes. Researchers conducted participant observation in Music and Movement classes to identify whether or not the use of games in this case study belongs to free play or guided play. Researchers also gathered information through secondary written sources. The findings suggest that games as a teaching method in Music and Movement classes greatly emphasize students learning how to dance, where games create more excitement for the children and not worry too much about techniques. Games used by Malaysian preschools can be great examples and guidelines for teachers to incorporate games as a teaching method for preschool students aged 4 to 6 years old.
Article
This article troubles the established discourse of free choice and free play in early childhood education, and develops post-structural approaches to theorising children's agency in the context of institutional and relational power structures. It is widely accepted that planning a curriculum based on children's needs, interests and patterns of learning promotes agency, self-regulation and control. However, contemporary research extends this discourse through critical examination of child-centred and developmental perspectives, and by theorising children's agency as a means of enacting power relationships in play. Using naturalistic, interpretive methods for documenting children's choices of play activities, this small-scale study focuses on 10 children in an Early Years Foundation Stage setting in England. Combining contemporary sociocultural and post-structural theories, the findings indicate that children's choices are situated within shifting power structures and relationships, involving conflict, negotiation, resistance and subversion. These activities create opportunities for exercising and affirming group and individual agency. The study raises critical questions about how children make and manage their choices, and examines the implications for policy and practice in light of restrictive curriculum frameworks.
Article
Part one of this paper highlights how students today think and process information fundamentally differently from their predecessors, as a result of being surrounded by new technology. The author compares these “digital natives” with the older generation who are learning and adopting new technology naming them “digital immigrants”.
Play in children's development, health and well-2. being. Toy Industries of Europe
  • J Goldstein
Goldstein J (2012) Play in children's development, health and well-2. being. Toy Industries of Europe.
Free Play in Early Childhood A 11. literature review
  • J Santer
  • C Griffiths
  • D Goodall
Santer J, Griffiths C, Goodall D (2007) Free Play in Early Childhood A 11. literature review. National Children's Bureau.
Informal Playspaces Right Under Our Noses 13
  • M Lanza
Lanza M (2013) Informal Playspaces Right Under Our Noses 13. .
The Importance of Free Play in Early Childhood and Primary School Education: Critical Analysis for Romania
Citation: Catalano H (2018) The Importance of Free Play in Early Childhood and Primary School Education: Critical Analysis for Romania. Educ Res Appl: ERCA-150. DOI: 10.29011/2575-7032/100050
The 5. Decline of Play Robinson K
  • H Schaub
  • K G Zenke
Schaub H, Zenke KG (2001) [Dicționar de pedagogie]. Iași: Editura 4. Polirom. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bg-GEzM7iTk, Robert Gray, The 5. Decline of Play Robinson K, Aronica L (2015) [Școli creative]. București: Editura Pub6. lica.