Have you ever spent time with children while they were playing? Whether with your own children, relatives, or students in your class have you ever paid attention to the imagination that is being used and the story-telling going on during playtime? I have seen my niece and nephews while they play and sometimes just had to laugh in surprise at their creativity. Sadly however, play in schools has been starting to dwindle. As more pressure has been put on increasing test scores there has been more pencil/paper work and less play. As Dr. Karen Wohlwend stated in a podcast with Dr. Betsy Baker, play is looked at more as a nice thing to have, but not of enough value to keep around when push comes to shove with our time (2009).
In this podcast and her corresponding article, Dr. Wohlwend looks specifically at play with Disney princess dolls from popular media. Some teachers have felt that allowing students to write about these popular media themes would not encourage children to be creative and they would just be writing based on stories they knew. However, as Dr. Wohlwend points out, these themes are rich with literacy material.
Play provides a safe environment where mistakes are inconsequential and where they can practice and extend their literacy abilities. Children can practice language oral skills without fear. In interacting with others they can build those literacy skills together and develop their own strategies. I think most people recognize that school can be very draining. When all day long students are sitting at their desks working with pencil and paper it is bound to be mentally exhausting and become less effective. Children need some time to let their creativity out in a way they dictate. It is up to us as teachers to harness that imagination and creativity, not stomp it out.
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