ABSTRACT
Originally published in 1989, Play, Exploration and Learning was a valuable contribution to the evaluation of nursery practice in Britain at the time, this ‘natural history’ of the activities of children and caring adults presents a comparative study of four types of provision for the under-fives: nursery schools, nursery classes, playgroups and day nurseries. All four types of provision are seen as happy, busy, caring environments, but they vary greatly in terms of staffing levels, training and material provision.
The authors look at the ‘play’ of three- to five-year-old children and the activities of the adults who care for them. They examine in detail children’s choices of materials and their use of them, with special attention given to the way language is used by both children and adults during play. They also describe adults’ expectations of the various provisions and the values of the activities pursued in them. Of special interest is the emphasis placed by adults upon fantasy play, and the often large discrepancy between expectation and practice. Also covered are the difference in the play activities of part-time and full-time nursery school children, and the transition from pre-school to first school.
The book will still be of historical interest to pre-school practitioners, to developmental psychologists and to educational administrators.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
part |52 pages
The Pre-School Context
chapter Chapter 1|14 pages
Pre-school experience: assumptions and research
chapter Chapter 2|13 pages
The context of the study
chapter Chapter 3|23 pages
The aims and objectives of pre-school provision
part |116 pages
What happens in different pre-school provisions?
chapter Chapter 4|9 pages
Adults' activities in pre-school
chapter Chapter 5|18 pages
Children's activities in pre-school
chapter Chapter 6|17 pages
Use of materials
chapter Chapter 7|18 pages
Fantasy play
chapter Chapter 8|10 pages
Attention and choice of activity
chapter Chapter 9|26 pages
Use of language
chapter Chapter 10|8 pages
Adjustment of new children
chapter Chapter 11|8 pages
Part-time and full-time pre-school attendance
part |36 pages
What do children learn from pre-school?
chapter Chapter 12|9 pages
Intervening in fantasy play
chapter Chapter 13|16 pages
Play and learning
chapter Chapter 14|9 pages
From nursery to reception class
part |29 pages
The findings and implications of the study