ABSTRACT

Envisioning educational equity in a culture of innovation includes transformational visions of what education is and does. The purpose of identifying historical discourses of play is to provide an overview of the foundational theoretical approaches to children’s play that have contributed to the characteristics which outline essential elements for the development of young children. Historically, play activities have always been part of early childhood education programs and are supported by dominant theories of the pioneers in educational play such as Friedrich Froebe. Friedrich Froebel is considered as the most significant pioneer of early childhood education. Froebel was a German educator and founder of the first formalized educational institution for young children known as “a children’s garden” or kindergarten—a place where young children could grow and develop. At the beginning of the twentieth century, Maria Montessori, an Italian educator, physician, and social reformer, created a movement in early childhood education known as the Montessori Method.