Toddlers' Play in Early Childhood Education Settings

Abstract

More and more toddlers participate in early childhood education outside home, sharing a significant part of their day with teachers and peers, often in play. Despite the knowledge that has accumulated on toddlers’ playing skills and on the psychology underlying the development of play, research on toddlers’ play from the educational and pedagogical viewpoints is limited. Whereas teachers of toddlers report high respect for play and the importance of play in toddlers’ lives, research shows that the position of play is generally weak. This chapter, drawing on existing research, reviews the development and characteristics of toddlers’ play, describes the ways in which they play, and discusses how teachers through their own actions create opportunities for the youngest children to express, carry out and develop their existing potentials of imagination, narration and play, together with them and other children. A sensitive, responsive, physically and emotionally present teacher, who is able to observe what is going on in the group, who understands the meanings of activities from children’s viewpoints and who can work - and play - accordingly with them forms the basis for shared imagination and joint play. How to be such a teacher is a central issue in this chapter.