ABSTRACT
That children learn through play is a central and well-established tenet of the European-American tradition of early childhood education. Within this tradition, play is widely viewed as natural and necessary to the healthy development of young children, providing the means by which children come to understand and make sense of the complexities of the material, social and conceptual world. The literature on play, amassed across more than two centuries, is both vast and complex, encompassing diverse and contrasting theoretical perspectives. There is no single theory that can fully capture the range of play activities or behaviours we observe in children. Nor is it possible to explain categorically why we play and how it might contribute to learning and development. Theories of play are inevitably and inextricably linked to wider theories of childhood, learning and development, and inform global debates about what constitutes an appropriate curriculum and pedagogy for young children. Theories of play influence to a greater or lesser extent how it is organized in educational practice (Bennett et al. 1997).
