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Playtime, great time!
2 Aug 2023
Today is National Playday! It is a celebration of children’s right to play and a campaign that highlights the importance of play in children’s lives. It traditionally takes place on the first Wednesday of August and is coordinated by Play England, Play Wales, Play Scotland and PlayBoard Northern Ireland.
In celebration of Playday, we spoke to our fantastic Bright Sparks and Early Years team (who have plenty of experience of play time with our children) to explain the importance of play and what we can do to incorporate it into everyday activities.
‘Whatever wonderful ideas the children have during play. Learning through play is so important.’
Rebecca Malone, Level 5 Practitioner, Head of 0-2’s
‘Children choosing what they would like to play with and do with the toys e.g. kitchen, role play, building a house etc. using their own imagination.’
Louise Foster, Level 3 Practitioner, Tots Room
‘Playtime enables children to learn, explore, investigate and create. Play is fun but it is also a child’s job which is why they get so tired! Through play, children develop in all areas of the EYFS: Personal, Social and Emotional Development, Communication and Language, Physical Development, Math’s, Literacy, Understanding The World, Expressive Arts & Design. Free play means a child is able to freely choose what they play with and how they play with it. Practitioners are always involved in free pay, observing, modelling, scaffolding and interacting with the children to further their development.’
Sarah Owen, Level 3 Practitioner, Senior Toddler Room
‘Can encourage heuristic learning. Enables them to discover their sense of self and their likes and dislikes.’
Lucie Gilligan, Level 3 Practitioner, Baby Room
‘Free play is important because it enables children to explore their environment in their own way. It helps to develop creativity and imagination and provides opportunities for problem solving.’
Sarah Owen, Level 3 Practitioner, Senior Toddler Room
‘Helps develop life skills and see different personalities. Children learn a lot through their own play and challenges, trying different ways to do things.’
Rebecca Benson, Level 3 Practitioner, Senior Tots Room
‘They can learn their interests, likes and dislikes, so they can use their imaginative play. This can bring out their independence.’
Jade Dutton, Level 3 Practitioner/ SENCO, Head of Kindergarten/Pre-School
‘Building blocks are my favourite free play activity as they support many areas of children’s development. These areas include numbers, as the children are able to count while adding and taking away blocks. Colours, they will be able to start recognising colours and naming them. Speech and language develop when learning new words and sounds. Building blocks also support and promote development of special awareness and develops hand-eye co-ordination.’
Tamara Walsh, Level 3 Practitioner, Toddler Room
‘Role play – Kitchen. Watching the children replay what they have seen their parents, grand parents, guardians do on a day to day basis.’
Sam Coley, Level 2 Practitioner, Tots Room
‘Small world play/ role play – this brings out a different characters and makes them more confident with their peers.’
Jade Dutton, Level 3 Practitioner/ SENCO, Head of Kindergarten/Pre-School
‘Toddlers love our everyday basket (filled with kitchen utensils, non-working technology etc.) bags of all shapes and sizes, egg cups, combs, brushes, sponges, etc. Babies and toddlers initially engage in sensory exploration, finding out about the different properties of each item. Then as they get older, they begin to imitate the way they’ve seen them being used by the adults around them.’
Sarah Owen, Level 3 Practitioner, Senior Toddler Room
‘Outdoor activities! All children love being outdoors and any activity can be done. Children learn a lot from the environment around them, including physical textures, colours, counting, bug hunts etc. This encourages speech and language as well.’
Ruth Brooks, Level 5 Practitioner, Head of Tots Room
‘Malleable Play – different textures such as sand, water, play doh, etc. gets the biggest engagement. They love to get messy. Role play – dressing up they love to do too.’
Jade Dutton, Level 3 Practitioner/ SENCO, Head of Kindergarten/Pre-School
‘Free play is encouraged all throughout the day.’
Rebecca Malone, Level 5 Practitioner, Head of 0-2’s
‘Toddlers spend most of their playtime engaging in free play activities. We change the activities on offer every 30 mins to an hour depending on the children’s level of engagement’
Sarah Owen, Level 3 Practitioner, Senior Toddler Room
‘Everyday. 0-2’s have more free play through out, as 2-4’s are preparing for school readiness e.g. phonics, mathematics etc. free play is still as important’
Ruth Brooks, Level 5 Practitioner, Head of Tots Room
‘2-4’s have free play all day but also have adult led activities throughout the day’
Jade Dutton, Level 3 Practitioner/ SENCO, Head of Kindergarten/Pre-School
‘Free play helps children express their emotions and feelings and helps them develop a sense of who they are’
Lorna Riley, Level 3 Practitioner, Baby Room
‘Free play gives children the opportunity to express their feelings and emotions through free play/ exploring the world around them, allowing them to use their imagination and creativity. Free play supports their development by promoting areas such as problem solving, independence, social skills etc.’
Tamara Walsh, Level 3 Practitioner, Toddler Room
‘Children still need guidance, it may not provide children with a sense of routine’
Eve Walker, Level 3 Practitioner, Baby Room
‘Some children may float from activity to activity without engaging in play. Practitioners are always vigilant about spotting ‘floating’ children and will interact with the child in order to draw them into meaningful play’
Sarah Owen, Level 3 Practitioner, Senior Toddler Room
‘Some Children need some more support in interacting with peers. These children can get bored from too much free play’
Jade Dutton, Level 3 Practitioner/ SENCO, Head of Kindergarten/Pre-School
‘All things Music! This can be singing, music on the radio, musical instruments or better still, seeking what sounds can be made with kitchen pots and pans’
Rebecca Malone, Level 5 Practitioner, Head of 0-2’s
‘Painting, it encourages creativity, sensory exploration and fine motor skills’
Millie Brady,, Level 3 Practitioner, Toddler Room
‘Play Doh, it encourage sensory exploration with the different textures, smells, colours and physical development’
Sarah Kwai, Level 2 Apprentice, Toddler Room
‘Role play, teddy bears picnic, small world play, kitchen – baking cakes etc. All encourages speech and imagination’
Louise Foster, Level 3 Practitioner, Tots Room
‘Reading, counting activities, problem solving games and outdoor play’
Jade Dutton, Level 3 Practitioner/ SENCO, Head of Kindergarten/Pre-School
