It's Playtime!

            Play is shown to be a critical component to early literacy and overall child development. It can help develop language by talking cooperatively with friends. It can help develop fine motor skills by holding small items. And most importantly it can help children build a sense of exploration and curiosity that they can extend to future learning. Play is vital part of children’s ability to learn. When discussing play, Ghoting and Martin-Diaz (2013) notes that “young children learn best when they are building on what they know, … [symbolic play helps] children develop high-level thinking and language, use their imaginations, incorporate problem solving, and practice self-regulation,” (p.23). Children explore through play and learn new things. A pair of children who are making mud pie may appear to be spending their time frivolously. But in actuality they are learning problem solving, (how much mud is too much for this pan? How do I get it all to fit? Can I get a bigger pan?) language skills through peer conversations, and learning self-regulation by taking turns.

            In addition to this, learning through play extends beyond the realm of preschool into future grades. In surveying the academic capabilities of children throughout school, Marcon found that children who had a more structured, teacher led preschool experience “earned significantly lower grades than those who had been allowed more opportunities to learn through play,” (Kohn, 2015, para. 13). Children who are allowed to play and discover when they are younger are better prepared for school. They have learned the skills that allow them to succeed in the future.

            Seeing the importance of play for families, many libraries have begun to incorporate this early literacy staple into their library programs and services. Bastiansen and Wharton (2015) have noted many libraries who have created toy libraries in order to overcome barriers to play such as cost for high quality toys, a more restrictive preschool curriculum, and neighborhood safety concerns. Toys and puppets are circulated freely for patrons to enjoy quality play time with their children, with one library collection of over 1000 items for checkout (Basteansin & Wharton, 2015). This allows patrons to play with their children at home without any barriers. Families are able to connect with each other over play while children learn that the library is fun place with books and toys.

            The Cleveland Heights- University Heights Public Library has taken this dedication to play one step further. The library has completely renovated a room to become a PLAYroom for young children (Dickerson, 2012). The room has toys, play stations, cozy reading nooks, a Spin a Story, and many more items that are inviting to families (Dickerson, 2012). This room illustrates that the library values family play by designing the room around it. The play doesn’t stop with just the room. Storytimes have been integrated into the room to invite play activities at the end of each program. Dickerson (2012) notes that if a storytime theme is food they would end the program by putting on aprons and making a pretend meal with the children and parents (p.14). The storytime program becomes and invitation for parents to play with their children in the library and connect. In addition this playtime with the librarian allows staff to model for parents best practices for learning through play with their children.

            In examining all this information surrounding play, it makes me very excited to be working towards a career as a children’s librarian. We have the opportunity to build our programs around play. Whether this means bringing a few props to incorporate dramatic play into a story with children or bringing in recycled materials to “build” a robot together, playing with children allows them to explore and learn while they grow.

            But of course, as a librarian, I like to play too!

References

Bastiansen, C. & Wharton, J. (2015). Getting ready for play!. The Journal of the Association of Library Services to Children 13(4). Retrieved from http://web.b.ebscohost.com.libaccess.sjlibrary.org/ehost/pdfviewer/pdfviewer?sid=8eab16da-c77b-417e-8bf4-755fd8c2b10a%40sessionmgr103&vid=0&hid=101

Dickerson, C. (2012). The preschool literacy and you (PLAY) room. The Journal of the Association of Library Services to Children 10(1). Retrieved from http://web.b.ebscohost.com.libaccess.sjlibrary.org/ehost/pdfviewer/pdfviewer?sid=f8ecdf1e-9a00-41e1-a489-06267c06515f%40sessionmgr106&vid=0&hid=101

Frymire, M. (2012). Untitled image of child with painted hands [Online image] Retrieved October 31, 2016 from http://www.kcparent.com/KC-Parent-Blogs/Marisa-Frymire/March-2012/What-Will-Your-Kids-Remember/PLAY.jpg 

Ghoting, S. N., & Martin-Diaz, P. (2013). Storytimes for everyone. Chicago, IL: American Library Association
Hadsall, J. (2014). Untitled image of children and parents in library [Online image]. Retrieved October 31, 2016 from http://www.kcparent.com/KC-Parent-Blogs/Marisa-Frymire/March-2012/What-Will-Your-Kids-Remember/PLAY.jpg 

Kohn, D. (2015, May 6). Let kids learn through play. The New York Times. Retrieved from http://www.nytimes.com/2015/05/17/opinion/sunday/let-the-kids-learn-through-play.html?_r=0