Play is a detrimental aspect in children’s life. It dates back to many centuries back, where different philosophers tried to incorporate this aspect for kindergarten children. Today, they have been recognized as the pioneers of play. For instance, Lev Vygotsky, Friedrich Froebel, and Jean Jacques Rosseau are among the notable pioneers of play, whose contribution over the last three centuries have shaped play as it is today. This paper is going to discuss the three pioneers and how their efforts have helped shape the play theory in the contemporary world.
Lev Vygotsky (1896-1934)
Born in 17th November 1896, Lev Vygotsky was known for his theory on human culture and biosocial development (Bodrova " Leong, 2015). Although he came into the limelight for the period between 1924 to 1934, he produced various works that impacted on special education, psycholinguistics and art studies. The psychologist believed that preschoolers and kindergarten children could only overcome the impulsiveness they have as toddlers through sociodramatic or make-believe play. This would help them develop the intentional essential behavior, which is vital for their mental functioning. Among his famous quotes is, “In a play a child is always above his average age, above his daily behavior; it is as though he were a head taller than himself.” (Bodrova " Leong, 2015). According to Vygotsky, early childhood was the period which children mental functioning was restructured, and also it is the first time they are learning to use cultural tools to transform their cognitive skills. Thus, he sees play as a transitioning stage in the development of imagination in young children. It is the foremost activity which helps them to subdue their immediate impulses. Summarizing the whole theory, Vygotsky considers human development as a multifaceted interaction shaped by the relationship between natural, biological aspects and cultural growth, as stimulated by the interactions with other people.
Friedrich Froebel (1782- 1852)
Friedrich Froebel was a German educator who found the Kindergarten Movement. Born in 1782 to a Lutheran minister, his life was greatly shaped by his religious beliefs and personal experiences as a child, growing under the care of a ruthless step mother (Provenzo, Jr., 2009). From a young age, he was apprenticed into forestry and later worked as a mineralogist, and the two positions brought him closer to nature. Nature, he believed revealed the truth about religion and more so, about God. As a child, he believed that a child ought to be actively engaged in meaningful play, and this helped to shape his views towards education and also Froebel’s gifts and occupations. (Provenzo, Jr., 2009) Through this series, he devised a hands-on system, which helped children to learn the physical forms and relations found in nature. He attributed his theory of education to God, as He is the giver of all that is in nature. The gifts
were used as tools to arouse and develop a child’s recognition of the God-given elements that are found in nature. He embraced a Christian perspective and also helped to instill the same beliefs in children (Provenzo, Jr., 2009). His teachings on the gifts are valued manipulatives, which could be used in early childhood education and play. However, Froebel’s teachings are unpopular in the contemporary education, as they are more religious and spiritual, and does not resonate much with the modern day teaching standards.
Jean-Jacques Rosseau (1712-1778)
Jean-Jacques Rosseau (1712-1778) tries to bring early childhood education method close to nature as much as possible. The Swiss-born philosopher desired that children should be guided by their own reason, before they are finally educated (Gianoutsos, 2018). Through reason, men are able to attain freedom of thought as a result of naturalistic education. Education, he posits, comes from nature, men and from things. The three must work hand-in-hand if the individual is to become holistic. Therefore, nature determines the course of the other two aspects in cultivating children. His theory therefore, justifies naturalism as a means to education. He further stresses that habits often become ineffective as time goes, and therefore children must not develop habits, due to the restrictions that the practices could bring. However, some habits inhibit themselves in some children, even in adulthood. Instead, a child should not form habits that limits him from enjoying personal freedom and control of his powers in the future. A child should only follow the natural inclinations, such as self-esteem, which is essential to ourselves (Gianoutsos, 2018). He therefore advocates for the kind of education that focuses on the child’s mind and what affects him directly, as it means continuous exercise of his body. His theory in a wrap up therefore calls for children to learn through their senses and also discovering the natural world.
Conclusion
The play in general is based on developing the cognitive skills of young children, and the essence it plays in their life as they grow. The three pioneers, Jean Rousseau, Friedrich Froebel and Lev Vygotsky all agree on the importance of children development from a young age. Though Froebel’s theory is not widely recognized, the need to form a good foundation for children at the younger stage is vital, and so is the connection to nature. Through these pioneers, the impact of their actions is visible in our modern day world, which has made the learning experience of the young children enjoyable.
References
Bodrova, E., " Leong, D. (2015). Vygotskian and Post-Vygotskian Views on Children’s Play. American Journal Of Play, 7(3).
Gianoutsos, J. (2018). LOCKE AND ROUSSEAU: EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION. The Pulse, 4(1).
Provenzo, Jr., E. (2009). Friedrich Froebel’s Gifts Connecting the Spiritual and Aesthetic to the Real World of Play and Learning. American Journal Of Play, 2(1).
