In our age of standards, tests, schedules, formal observations, scripted curricula, and checklists, many feel that play is a luxury they cannot afford, particularly those who serve historically marginalized students—where testing pressure is often highest.
Now even 4 year olds are increasingly engaged with formal assessments of their academic performance in reading and mathematics
Emphasis has become
Content
Skill based
Assessment based on conventional methods
Doing paper and pencil activities
Many feel that they have no time for play. They report children feel “stressed out” and report feeling miserable and not only about school work. They are unhappy about not meeting the academic expectations set for them. This also creates conflict for children and parents/families.
Play is a primary context for learning in the early years and offers joyful opportunities for learning and development across domains. As children play, they engage in social interactions, creativity, self-expression, thinking, problem-solving, and inquiry-based learning. Through playful learning experiences, young children explore their environment, exercise their autonomy, learn from each other, and expand their understanding of the world around them. Professional nannies value play and offer children a balance of child-led and nanny-guided play activities to promote children's interest and engagement in learning. Play also gives nannies a natural way to observe and document children's skills, interests, and progress while they are actively engaged in exploration and learning.
