Outdoor Play in Early Childhood Education and Care Ireland
Childhood is a very important stage in the development of each individual. It is in this stage that permanent traits and behaviours are nurtured and acquired. This stage plays a crucial role in ensuring that children develop to desired individuals in the society. In this stage, several activities are incorporated to ensure that a child is fully equipped to face the next stage of life. Some of the activities include playing, schooling, and other distinct activities varying with social status of the family. Research as shown that childhood influences greatly the future life of the individual this is because values instilled in the child impacts its reasoning. This essay will discuss in details the effects of outdoor play in early childhood care in Ireland. Under United Nation convection play is a child right and in Ireland this condition is same (Churchill, 2005 pg 465).
Relevance of child play
The main theme of this literature review is outdoor play in early childhood care in Ireland. In Ireland, research has shown how play is important to the development of children and as a result, play has being integrated as a key component in the early childhood curriculum. In Ireland, two bodies that regulate the learning institution and they include Aiestear and Siolta. Aistear advocates for children to engage in play this is because play is good for the health of children. By engaging in outdoor play there is many benefits in the development of children this because they engage in physical activities that bring about physical benefits (Smyser, 2008 pg 568). According to a research carried out by the Ireland department on health and human service. It has shown that individuals who engage in regular physical activities in childhood eliminate the chances of developing chronic diseases such hypertension, type 2 diabetes and heart diseases.
As children enjoy their moments playing outside, a direction of belonging is defined as the child becomes more self-assured in her and learns to face challenges without any
assistance. Another advantage of outside play is the establishment of a child’s perceptual abilities which could include touch and smell (warden, 2004 pg 103).
In Ireland play is in-corporated in the school set up hence they are offered the materials time, space, and companionship they require to play safely. With the issue of materials props and other gargets are offered to ensure that they all participate in the activities. In pre-school setting enough space is offered to ensure that children have a wide variety in choosing who, how they want to play and this reduces conflicts from participant. Unlike in other cultures, parents in Ireland offer companionship to their children while they engage in play. They offer them support hence enhancing the learning abilities of the children. They offer guidance to children and by so doing a lot is learned such that it becomes a routine. Some of the playing activities involves playing in the mud, science play and also day play. In Ireland play day is celebrated every year in July and its main aim is to show the importance of play in children.
Role of childcare practitioner
The work of a child practitioner is to guarantee that children are safe while doing outdoor play and attend to them in case of an accident by offering first aid. They also guide the children on how to be careful in the course (spondek 1973 pg 88)
The relevance of this study to early childhood education and care in Ireland is quite obvious. Unlike in other cultures, Ireland’s childhood education system does not integrate outdoor play with class work. It does not offer support hence enhancing the learning abilities of the children is quite a huge task. The Early Childhood Education and Care in Ireland therefore needs evaluation and support (Encyclopedia of early childhood education).
.
Sources of Literature
Churchill, C., & Strindberg, A. (2005). A dream play. New York: Theatre Communications Group.
This book will discuss in details the effects of outdoor play in early childhood care in Ireland. Under United Nation convection play is a child right and in Ireland this condition is same in most countries, America included.
Eustice, V., & Heald, C. (2013). Outdoor play. Leamington Spa, Warwickshire: Scholastic Publications
This source will show that childhood is a very important stage in the development of each individual. It will also highlight the fact that this stage brings about permanent traits and behaviours which are nurtured and acquired.
Gordon, I. J. (2005). Early childhood education,. Chicago: NSSE; distributed by the University of Chicago Press.
This book will show the result which research has shown how play is important to the development of children and as a result, play has being integrated as a key component in the early childhood curriculum. It gives the benefits of play being intergrade of the childhood development curriculum.
More than swings and roundabouts planning for outdoor play. (2002). London: National Children's Bureau.
This book gives examples in statistics of some of the activities that include playing, schooling, and other distinct activities varying with social status of the family and how they help in childhood development. It also gives statistics on the development of specific cases of children who through these games have gained self confidence and developed into responsible adults.
Moshein, E., & McMahon, K. (2006). Outdoor play. Torrance, CA: F. Schaffer Publications
Like the above source, this source gives the benefits of children playing outdoor. However, it leaves out the statistics. Nonetheless, it spells out benefits that children get from their playing outside.
. New, R. S., & Cochran, M. (2007). Early childhood education: an international encyclopedia. Westport, Conn.: Praeger Publishers
This book discusses in details early childhood education and how it should be carried out. The authors are specialists in childhood education who show how outdoor work play and class education should be integrated to give the child the priviledge of growing up in the best environment possible.
Smyser, S. O. (2008). Early childhood education. Westminster, CA: Teacher Created matrials
This book show how by engaging in outdoor play there are many benefits in the development of children this because they engage in physical activities that bring about physical benefits. Physical benefits are good for a child’s health since physical exercise in general is known to reduce the risk of contracting diseases.
Spodek, B. (1973). Early childhood education. Englewood Cliffs, N.J.: Prentice-Hall.
This book gives the guide of how the children should be careful in the course of their playing outdoor. In addition, it gives the guidelines on simple child tasks such as what to wear, wear to wear it it how to war it. For example, it gives guidelines on hoa to wear a helmet and wear to wear it.
Warden, C. (2004). Outdoor play. Blackford, Perthshire: Mind stretchers.
This source gives advantages and disadvantages of outside play. It also adds the establishment of a child’s perceptual abilities which could include touch and smell,. This book is significant in cases where a parent is in dilemma of whether to allow a child to play outside or not.
Williams, L. R., & Fromberg, D. P. (2004). Encyclopedia of early childhood education. New York: Garland Pub..
This source gives satatistics on shildhood outdoor activities in Ireland. In addition, it gives reasons why Ireland incorporated outdoor play in the curriculum of children.
Reference
Churchill, C., & Strindberg, A. (2005). A dream play. New York: Theatre Communications Group.
Eustice, V., & Heald, C. (2013). Outdoor play. Leamington Spa, Warwickshire: Scholastic Publications.
Gordon, I. J. (2005). Early childhood education,. Chicago: NSSE; distributed by the University of Chicago Press.
More than swings and roundabouts planning for outdoor play. (2002). London: National Children's Bureau.
Moshein, E., & McMahon, K. (2006). Outdoor play. Torrance, CA: F. Schaffer Publications.
New, R. S., & Cochran, M. (2007). Early childhood education: an international encyclopedia. Westport, Conn.: Praeger Publishers.
Smyser, S. O. (2008). Early childhood education. Westminster, CA: Teacher Created Materials.
Spodek, B. (1973). Early childhood education. Englewood Cliffs, N.J.: Prentice-Hall.
Warden, C. (2004). Outdoor play. Blackford, Perthshire: Mind stretchers.
Williams, L. R., & Fromberg, D. P. (2004). Encyclopedia of early childhood education. New York: Garland Pub..
