EAS409-Play in Early Childhood

 Why Play is the Heart of the Learning?    Did you know that by the time a child turns five, a staggering 90% of their brain development is already complete? This powerful statistic from our recent session on "Play and Development" completely shifted my perspective on what happens during early years. Far from being a mere break from real learning, play is the foundation of learning itself.   During our session, we didn't just study theories, we experiences through the "World Cafe Strategy". Rotating through seven strategies each representing a domain from Bhutan ECCD Curriculum Framework, I was stuck by how deeply play is intertwined with every aspect of growth. As a visitor moving between groups, I learned that play activates both the neocortex (the brains thinking center) and the amygdala (the emotional center), helping the children integrate the two vital areas.  One concept that resonated with me personally was "decentralization" in pretend play, t...

Play is the heart of learning  The first session on the module "Play in Early Childhood" was an eye opener. We started off the session with a warm-up game called "Pass the Clap" and it illustrated how beneficial the play is, with respect to impact and social connectedness. It was a very special moment specially for me as we moved on to the storytelling and shared some of our childhood play experiences. It emphasized that play is universal language and one of the major ways in which we see the world.                                                                                                      What I learned the most is that play is not " Free time " but it is a meaningful learning.  While the defining the play is difficu...