Critically discuss the importance of play pedagogy in the curriculum Essay

Critically discuss the importance of play pedagogy in the curriculum for young children's learning and development - Essay Example It is seen as a manifestation of immaturity and children are expected to outgrow it and move on to more â€Å"grown up† activities (Moyles, 1994). However, today the role of play is recognized by policy makers, researchers and education developers to be critical in the intellectual and emotional wellbeing of children (Kennedy and Barblett, 2010). Retrospectively, the educational community in Europe has increasingly taken cognizance of the need for quality pedagogy in early childhood education to prepare children for both academic pursuits as well as social integration (Christie & Roskos, 2006). This paper discusses the importance of play pedagogy in the curriculum by examining the background of play in education, in the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS), the various forms of play and finally its developmental benefits with a view to justify its inclusion in education systems. To start with, the key terms are defined so as to provide the reader with a sense of contextual uniformity as this term represent the recurring themes in the entire. Pedagogy can be loosely described as a methodology or practical application of the teaching process. The curriculum on the other hand is a preset framework that outlines all what learners should be taught the quality and to some extent the methods that should be used, it however provides allowance for the teacher to act flexible based on the education setting or context. Pedagogy is seen as a formal and serious construct. As a means of understanding this to a more full and complete degree, the following discussion will partially focus upon understanding these dynamics by utilizing socio-cultural theory and interpretation. Historical and anthropological studies in to the nature of the European childhood have revealed that like today, the classical Greek and roman cultures valued play and