HED4808
Assignment 3 2025
Unique Number:
Due Date: September 2025
QUESTION 1
1.1 Interpretation of Play
Play can be described as a natural and essential part of children‟s development and
learning. It is more than just fun or entertainment; it is the way children understand their
world, test ideas, and build new knowledge. Play allows children to express themselves,
interact with others, and practice skills that prepare them for later stages of life. Researchers
have long seen play as a cornerstone of early childhood education because of its impact on
social, emotional, cognitive, and physical development (Gordon & Brown, 2016).
One way to interpret play is to view it as a child‟s work. Through play, children construct
meaning about their identity, environment, and relationships. For example, a child who
pretends to be a doctor is not only enjoying the activity but also learning about roles,
responsibility, and empathy. In this way, play develops creativity and problem-solving skills
(Ebbeck & Waniganayake, 2016).
Terms of use
By making use of this document you agree to:
Use this document as a guide for learning, comparison and reference purpose,
Terms of use
Not to duplicate, reproduce and/or misrepresent the contents of this document as your own work,
By making use of this document you agree to:
Use this document
Fully accept the consequences
solely as a guide forshould you plagiarise
learning, reference,or and
misuse this document.
comparison purposes,
Ensure originality of your own work, and fully accept the consequences should you plagiarise or misuse this document.
Comply with all relevant standards, guidelines, regulations, and legislation governing academic and written work.
Disclaimer
Great care has been taken in the preparation of this document; however, the contents are provided "as is" without any express or
implied representations or warranties. The author accepts no responsibility or liability for any actions taken based on the
information contained within this document. This document is intended solely for comparison, research, and reference purposes.
Reproduction, resale, or transmission of any part of this document, in any form or by any means, is strictly prohibited.
, +27 67 171 1739
QUESTION 1
1.1 Interpretation of Play
Play can be described as a natural and essential part of children‟s development and
learning. It is more than just fun or entertainment; it is the way children understand
their world, test ideas, and build new knowledge. Play allows children to express
themselves, interact with others, and practice skills that prepare them for later stages
of life. Researchers have long seen play as a cornerstone of early childhood
education because of its impact on social, emotional, cognitive, and physical
development (Gordon & Brown, 2016).
One way to interpret play is to view it as a child‟s work. Through play, children
construct meaning about their identity, environment, and relationships. For example,
a child who pretends to be a doctor is not only enjoying the activity but also learning
about roles, responsibility, and empathy. In this way, play develops creativity and
problem-solving skills (Ebbeck & Waniganayake, 2016).
Play can take different forms, such as make-believe, physical play, constructive play,
and games with rules. Each type contributes differently to growth. Make-believe play,
for instance, develops imagination and language, while constructive play like building
blocks strengthens reasoning and mathematical concepts. Physical play helps motor
development, while games with rules introduce fairness, discipline, and teamwork
(Miller et al., 2018).
Socially, play provides opportunities for children to interact with peers and adults.
They learn to share, cooperate, and negotiate, which are important social skills for
lifelong relationships (Serpell & Marfo, 2014). In the case study of Tom and Gontse,
the siblings used play to explore ideas of weight, speed, and balance. Without formal
teaching, they were already engaging with mathematical and scientific concepts.
This shows how play fosters curiosity and exploration.
Emotionally, play helps children manage feelings and build confidence. It gives them
a safe space to test risks and learn resilience when things do not work out as
expected (Pacini-Ketchabaw & Taylor, 2015). For example, a child building a tower
of blocks may feel frustrated when it falls, but through repeated trials they learn
patience and persistence.
Disclaimer
Great care has been taken in the preparation of this document; however, the contents are provided "as is"
without any express or implied representations or warranties. The author accepts no responsibility or
liability for any actions taken based on the information contained within this document. This document is
intended solely for comparison, research, and reference purposes. Reproduction, resale, or transmission
of any part of this document, in any form or by any means, is strictly prohibited.
Assignment 3 2025
Unique Number:
Due Date: September 2025
QUESTION 1
1.1 Interpretation of Play
Play can be described as a natural and essential part of children‟s development and
learning. It is more than just fun or entertainment; it is the way children understand their
world, test ideas, and build new knowledge. Play allows children to express themselves,
interact with others, and practice skills that prepare them for later stages of life. Researchers
have long seen play as a cornerstone of early childhood education because of its impact on
social, emotional, cognitive, and physical development (Gordon & Brown, 2016).
One way to interpret play is to view it as a child‟s work. Through play, children construct
meaning about their identity, environment, and relationships. For example, a child who
pretends to be a doctor is not only enjoying the activity but also learning about roles,
responsibility, and empathy. In this way, play develops creativity and problem-solving skills
(Ebbeck & Waniganayake, 2016).
Terms of use
By making use of this document you agree to:
Use this document as a guide for learning, comparison and reference purpose,
Terms of use
Not to duplicate, reproduce and/or misrepresent the contents of this document as your own work,
By making use of this document you agree to:
Use this document
Fully accept the consequences
solely as a guide forshould you plagiarise
learning, reference,or and
misuse this document.
comparison purposes,
Ensure originality of your own work, and fully accept the consequences should you plagiarise or misuse this document.
Comply with all relevant standards, guidelines, regulations, and legislation governing academic and written work.
Disclaimer
Great care has been taken in the preparation of this document; however, the contents are provided "as is" without any express or
implied representations or warranties. The author accepts no responsibility or liability for any actions taken based on the
information contained within this document. This document is intended solely for comparison, research, and reference purposes.
Reproduction, resale, or transmission of any part of this document, in any form or by any means, is strictly prohibited.
, +27 67 171 1739
QUESTION 1
1.1 Interpretation of Play
Play can be described as a natural and essential part of children‟s development and
learning. It is more than just fun or entertainment; it is the way children understand
their world, test ideas, and build new knowledge. Play allows children to express
themselves, interact with others, and practice skills that prepare them for later stages
of life. Researchers have long seen play as a cornerstone of early childhood
education because of its impact on social, emotional, cognitive, and physical
development (Gordon & Brown, 2016).
One way to interpret play is to view it as a child‟s work. Through play, children
construct meaning about their identity, environment, and relationships. For example,
a child who pretends to be a doctor is not only enjoying the activity but also learning
about roles, responsibility, and empathy. In this way, play develops creativity and
problem-solving skills (Ebbeck & Waniganayake, 2016).
Play can take different forms, such as make-believe, physical play, constructive play,
and games with rules. Each type contributes differently to growth. Make-believe play,
for instance, develops imagination and language, while constructive play like building
blocks strengthens reasoning and mathematical concepts. Physical play helps motor
development, while games with rules introduce fairness, discipline, and teamwork
(Miller et al., 2018).
Socially, play provides opportunities for children to interact with peers and adults.
They learn to share, cooperate, and negotiate, which are important social skills for
lifelong relationships (Serpell & Marfo, 2014). In the case study of Tom and Gontse,
the siblings used play to explore ideas of weight, speed, and balance. Without formal
teaching, they were already engaging with mathematical and scientific concepts.
This shows how play fosters curiosity and exploration.
Emotionally, play helps children manage feelings and build confidence. It gives them
a safe space to test risks and learn resilience when things do not work out as
expected (Pacini-Ketchabaw & Taylor, 2015). For example, a child building a tower
of blocks may feel frustrated when it falls, but through repeated trials they learn
patience and persistence.
Disclaimer
Great care has been taken in the preparation of this document; however, the contents are provided "as is"
without any express or implied representations or warranties. The author accepts no responsibility or
liability for any actions taken based on the information contained within this document. This document is
intended solely for comparison, research, and reference purposes. Reproduction, resale, or transmission
of any part of this document, in any form or by any means, is strictly prohibited.
