ECHD 101G: Young Children, Play, & Early Childhood Policy

This course explores the meaning and development of play, in our own lives and in the lives of young children. The course also critically examines contemporary debates about the role of play in early childhood programs, and explores the ways early childhood policy shapes children's experiences of play. Play is a major contributor to the cognitive, social, emotional, and physical development of young children. Major theoretical and empirical contributions to the study of play will be examined. Topics to be covered in the course include: the role of play in social, emotional and cognitive development; learning through play; early childhood policy; and the influence of the political and cultural context in children's experiences of play.