ABSTRACT
Preschool programs have routinely allocated large blocks of time to free-choice center time during which children could choose to engage in a variety of play-related activities. This chapter explores why play has been regarded as an essential component of preschool programs, examining theory and research on play's role in development and several widely implemented early childhood curriculum models. It discusses the rise of the new preschool basics—language, literacy, and math—and their impact on the early childhood curriculum and on play's role in general learning. The chapter explains the new "science-based" perspective on early literacy and its curricular demands, which threaten to squeeze play out of many preschool programs. It also discusses the concept of networking play and academics, an approach that promises to enrich children's classroom play experiences and promote learning of the basics. The chapter recommends expanding the scope of the new basics to include self-regulation, an important prerequisite to academic success that has strong ties to play activity.
