ABSTRACT
This chapter offers insights into the importance of play for child development, and its role in supporting early childhood development for young children from newly arrived families. The chapter reviews the research evidence on the significance of play for children's development and includes reflections from professionals on how to create opportunities for young children to experience the joys of play, and offers suggestions for introducing sceptical parents to play-based early childhood curricula. Those working with young children in refugee families note that in spite of the importance of play to early childhood development, it may be unfamiliar to young children from families with refugee experiences. Many of these children arrive at early childhood centres with play skills far less developed than their same-age peers. Teachers in Australia and the United States offer strategies for introducing both children and their families to play. Early educators also reflect on a level of discomfort with play-based learning that some parents from other cultures bring. For these parents, play in early childhood is not directly connected to the foundations for school readiness, but may be seen as a distraction. Educators offer strategies for introducing reluctant parents to the fundamental role of play in experiential learning settings in Western societies.
