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== Importance of play in child development == During recess, children play, and [[learning through play]] has been long known as a vital aspect of childhood development.<ref>{{Cite journal|last1=Honeyford|first1=Michelle A.|last2=Boyd|first2=Karen|date=April 14, 2015|title=Learning Through Play|journal=Journal of Adolescent & Adult Literacy|language=en|volume=59|issue=1|pages=63–73|doi=10.1002/jaal.428|issn=1081-3004}}</ref> Some of the earliest studies of play began with [[G. Stanley Hall]], in the 1890s. These studies sparked an interest in the developmental, mental and behavioral tendencies of babies and children. Current research emphasizes recess as a place for children to "[[role-play]] essential [[social skill]]s" and as an important time in the academic day that "counterbalances the sedentary life at school."<ref>{{cite journal|last=Ramsetter|first=Catherine |author2=Robert Murray |author3=Andrew S. Garner|title=The Crucial Role Of Recess In Schools|journal=Journal of School Health|date=2010|volume=80|issue=11|pages=517–26|doi=10.1111/j.1746-1561.2010.00537.x|pmid=21039550 |s2cid=9939562 }}</ref> Play has also been associated with the healthy development of parent-child bonds, establishing social, emotional and cognitive developmental achievements that assist them in relating with others, and managing stress. Although no formal education exists during recess, [[sociologist]]s and [[psychologist]]s consider recess an integral portion of child development, to teach them the importance of [[social skill]]s and [[physical education]]. Play is essential for children to develop not only their physical abilities, but also their intellectual, social, and moral capabilities.<ref name=":2">{{cite web |title=The Value of Play 1: The Definition of Play Provides Clues to its Purpose |last=Gray |first=Peter |date=November 19, 2008 |url=http://www.psychologytoday.com |publisher=Psychologytoday.com}}</ref> Via play, children can learn about the world around them. Some of the known benefits of recess are that students are more on task during academic activities, have improved memory, are more focused, develop a greater number of neural connections, and that it leads to more physical activity outside of the school setting.<ref>{{cite web|last=Adams|first=Caralee|title=Recess Makes Kids Smarter|url=http://www.scholastic.com/teachers/article/recess-makes-kids-smarter|publisher=Scholastic Instructor|access-date=March 10, 2014}}</ref> [[Psychomotor learning]] also gives children clues on how the world around them works as they can physically demonstrate such skills. Children need the freedom to play to learn skills necessary to become competent adults such as coping with stress and problem solving.<ref name="trickey">{{cite web|url=https://www.cnn.com/2006/HEALTH/08/20/PE.NCLB/index.html|title=No Child Left out of the Dodgeball Game?|last=Trickey|first=Helyn|date=August 22, 2006|publisher=Articles.cnn.com|access-date=September 9, 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101027191931/http://articles.cnn.com/2006-08-20/health/PE.NCLB_1_physical-education-obesity-rates-national-academic-standards?_s=PM:HEALTH|archive-date=October 27, 2010|url-status=live}}</ref> Through the means of caregiver's observations of children's play, one can identify deficiencies in children's development.<ref>How much do we know about the importance of play in child development? Tsao, Ling-Ling. ''Childhood Education''. Olney. Summer 2002. Vol. 78, Iss. 4; Pg 230</ref> While there are many types of play children engage in that all contribute to development, it has been emphasized that free, spontaneous play—the kind that occurs on playgrounds—is the most beneficial type of play. Recess is key in the development of children. Studies have shown that recess plays a large role in of how children develop their social skills. During recess, children usually play games involving teamwork. On the playground, children use many leadership skills – they educate other children about games to play, take turns, and learn to resolve conflicts while playing these games.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.naeyc.org/our-work/families/10-things-every-parent-play|title=10 Things Every Parent Should Know About Play {{!}} NAEYC|website=www.naeyc.org|language=en|access-date=November 20, 2018}}</ref> The leadership skills promoted throughout recess are how children are able to continue to play the games. Along with developing social skills, recess helps with the development of children's brains. Recess gives the children's brains a chance to "regroup" after a long day of class. Also, the physical activity actually leads to the development of the brain. Brain research has shown a relationship between physical activity and the development of the human brain.<ref name="Jarrett">Jarrett, O., Waite-Stupiansky, S. (September 2009). [https://web.archive.org/web/20100711173748/http://www.naeyc.org/files/yc/file/200909/On%20Our%20Minds%20909.pdf Play, Policy, and Practice Interest Forum].</ref> Another study supports these findings from the brain research. A school system that dedicated one third of their school day to nonacademic activities – such as recess and physical education – led to improved attitudes and fitness, and improved test scores despite spending less time in the classroom.<ref name="Jarrett" /> ===Social development=== Problem solving is an integral part in child development and free play allows for children to learn to problem solve on their own. Teachers and caregivers can [[Instructional scaffolding|scaffold]] problem solving through modeling or assisting when a confrontation occurs. Although play should involve adults, adults or caregivers should not control the play because when adults control the play, the children can lose their creativity, leadership, and group skills. Adults should let children create and follow agreed upon rules and only intervene if a serious conflict arises.<ref>{{Cite journal|last=Ginsburg|first=Kenneth R.|date=January 1, 2007|title=The Importance of Play in Promoting Healthy Child Development and Maintaining Strong Parent-Child Bonds|url=http://pediatrics.aappublications.org/content/119/1/182|journal=Pediatrics|language=en|volume=119|issue=1|pages=182–191|doi=10.1542/peds.2006-2697|issn=0031-4005|pmid=17200287|doi-access=free|url-access=subscription}}</ref> Problem solving encourages children to compromise and cooperate with each other.<ref>{{Cite journal|last1=Walker|first1=Olga L.|last2=Degnan|first2=Kathryn A.|last3=Fox|first3=Nathan A.|last4=Henderson|first4=Heather A.|date=2013|title=Social Problem-Solving in Early Childhood: Developmental Change and the Influence of Shyness|journal=Journal of Applied Developmental Psychology|volume=34|issue=4|pages=185–193|doi=10.1016/j.appdev.2013.04.001|issn=0193-3973|pmc=3768023|pmid=24039325}}</ref> The conflict resolution process helps children to attain a vast range of social and emotional skills such as empathy, flexibility, self-awareness, and self-regulation. This vast range or capabilities is often referred to as "emotional intelligence" and is essential to building and maintaining relationships in adult life.<ref name=":2" /> Teachers can also view recess as a time to observe children's social and cognitive development skills and be able to develop different activities in the classroom that reflect the children's interests and development.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://childdevelopmentinfo.com/learning/developmental-play-at-school-fun-and-essential-for-learning/#.W_M7Fma-JmA|title=Developmental Play At School: Fun And Essential For Learning!|date=April 28, 2014|work=Child Development Institute|access-date=November 19, 2018|language=en-US}}</ref> Recess at its core is a social experience for children and as such, plays a significant part in the development of language. Children's intentionality with language during recess is tied closely to navigating the social landscape of the playground. Even as early as preschool, children use language to make group decisions and establish authority or a standing in the social setting of the playground. One researcher states that children use language to "invoke play ideas as their own possessions to manage and control the unfolding play",<ref>{{cite journal|last=Theobald|first=Maryanne|title=Ideas As "Possessitives": Claims And Counter Claims In A Playground Dispute|journal=Journal of Pragmatics|date=2013|volume=45|issue=1|page=1|doi=10.1016/j.pragma.2012.09.009|url=http://eprints.qut.edu.au/53743/2/53743.pdf}}</ref> which engages a bidding war for group leadership. When viewing recess through a language perspective, the individual experience of the playground can vary depending on a willingness to follow other's ideas, and the development of language to modify play as it unfolds.
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