3/13/2025 12:15:20 PM	CHLD 54 Course Outline as of Fall 2025	New Course (First Version)
CATALOG INFORMATION
Discipline and Nbr:  CHLD 54	Title:  PLAY IN EARLY CHILDHOOD
Full Title:  Play in Early Childhood
Last Reviewed:2/26/2024

Units		Course Hours per Week			Nbr of Weeks	Course Hours Total
Maximum	3.00	Lecture Scheduled	3.00		17.5 max.	Lecture Scheduled	52.50
Minimum	3.00	Lab Scheduled	0		6 min.	Lab Scheduled	0
		Contact DHR	0			Contact DHR	0
		Contact Total	3.00			Contact Total	52.50
		Non-contact DHR	0			Non-contact DHR Total	0

Total Out of Class Hours:  105.00

Total Student Learning Hours: 157.50

Title 5 Category:  AA Degree Applicable
Grading:  Grade or P/NP
Repeatability:  00 - Two Repeats if Grade was D, F, NC, or NP
Also Listed As: 
Formerly: 

Catalog Description:

In this course, students will explore the history, purpose, and functions of play in early childhood. Play is a fundamental activity and right of childhood. Topics covered will include the social and functional categories of play, the developmental benefits of play, and play in a socio-cultural context. We will include a focus on play as the core of the early childhood classroom curriculum, and discuss the relationship between play and school readiness.

Prerequisites/Corequisites:
Course Completion of CHLD 10 ( or CHILD 10 or CHILD 50)

Recommended Preparation:
Eligibility for ENGL C1000 or EMLS 10 (formerly ESL 10) equivalent

Limits on Enrollment:

Schedule of Classes Information
Description:

In this course, students will explore the history, purpose, and functions of play in early childhood. Play is a fundamental activity and right of childhood. Topics covered will include the social and functional categories of play, the developmental benefits of play, and play in a socio-cultural context. We will include a focus on play as the core of the early childhood classroom curriculum, and discuss the relationship between play and school readiness.

(Grade or P/NP)
Prerequisites:Course Completion of CHLD 10 ( or CHILD 10 or CHILD 50)
Recommended:Eligibility for ENGL C1000 or EMLS 10 (formerly ESL 10) equivalent
Limits on Enrollment:
Transfer Credit:CSU;
Repeatability:00 - Two Repeats if Grade was D, F, NC, or NP

ARTICULATION, MAJOR, and CERTIFICATION INFORMATION

Associate Degree:		Effective:		Inactive:
Area:
CSU GE:	Transfer Area			Effective:	Inactive:
IGETC:	Transfer Area			Effective:	Inactive:
CSU Transfer:	Transferable	Effective:	Fall 2025	Inactive:
UC Transfer:		Effective:		Inactive:
C-ID:

Certificate/Major Applicable: Both Certificate and Major Applicable

COURSE CONTENT

Student Learning Outcomes:
At the conclusion of this course, the student should be able to:

1. Explain the role of play in early childhood development and its importance as a right of all children.

2. Analyze early childhood practice for important elements of play that benefit children's development in all domains.

 

Objectives:

At the conclusion of this course, the student should be able to:

1. Describe cultural practices and historical beliefs related to play.

2. Understand the developmental benefits of play in the cognitive, social, language, and physical domains.

3. Explain the connection between play and mental health in children.

4. Describe the categories of social and functional play.

5. Support play in a variety of settings.

6. Describe the teacher's role in supporting play in the classroom.

7. Explain the connections between play and school readiness.

Topics and Scope

I. Play in Historical and Cultural Context

    A. History of the importance of play in childhood

    B. Play in a cultural context

    C. Development of play as an element of early childhood education

    D. Play as a human right and United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child

II. Play and Development

    A. Play as the main strategy for early development

         1. Developmental benefits of play

         2. Consequences of play deprivation

    B. Brain development and play

    C. Cognitive benefits of play

    D. Social skills and play

    E. Play as inclusive practice

    F. Physical development and play      

    G. Mental health benefits of play

III. Play Research

    A. Piaget/Smilansky categories of play behavior

         1. Functional play

         2. Constructive play

         3. Dramatic play

         4. Games-With-Rules

    B. Parten's categories of social play

         1. Solitary play

         2. Parallel play

         3. Associative play

         4. Cooperative play

         5. Onlooker play

    C. Carter/Curtis environment design for learning through play

    D. Play in developmental theory

IV. The Role of Adults

    A. Using observation to understand children's abilities and interests

    B. Facilitating play and learning

         1. Designing environments and routines that support play

         2. Choosing open-ended materials for play

         3. Modeling play

         4. Scaffolding learning

               a. Extending play

              b. Adding complexity through materials

         5. Trauma-informed practices in facilitating children's social play (Nicholson)

    C. Using play as a context for assessment

         1. Observation

         2. Desired Results Developmental Profile (DRDP) and other developmental checklists

    D. Interpreting the value of play for parents and other professionals

         1. Documentation practices

         2. Resources

V. Play Settings

    A. Homes

    B. Neighborhood

    C. Playgrounds

    D. Play in the elementary school setting

    E. Play in early childhood program

         1. Setting up environments for play

              a. Indoor environments

              b. Outdoor environments

              c. Play equipment

         2. Adaptive equipment for children with disabilities

VI. Play and School Readiness

    A. Barriers to play in school settings

    B. Sociopolitical context of school readiness

VII. Cultural Approaches to Play

    A. Anjiplay, other contemporary play-based philosophies

    B. Reggio Emilia

    C. Forest kindergartens

Assignments:

Reading:

1. Weekly reading of the text and handouts (approximately 20 pages per week)

 

Writing Assignment(s):

Will include one or more of the following

1. Write a personal play history

2. Reflective writing on the text or assigned articles

3. Research paper on historical or contemporary play topic, with a focus on inclusive and culturally relevant practices

 

Skill demonstration(s):

Will include one or more of the following

1. Anecdotal observations (2-10) of children involved in play

2. Environment design plan to support play in the home or school/program setting

3. Practice using an early childhood environmental rating scale (ECERS or similar) to assess classroom design for play

4. Presentation on topic related to research paper

 

Exam(s):

1. Midterm(s) and/or Final essay exam(s) as determined by instructor (0-4)

 

Other:

Participation in class and/or online class discussion activities

Methods of Evaluation/Basis of Grade.

Writing: Assessment tools that demonstrate writing skill and/or require students to select, organize and explain ideas in writing.		Writing 30 - 50%
Writing assignment(s)
Problem solving: Assessment tools, other than exams, that demonstrate competence in computational or non-computational problem solving skills.		Problem Solving 0 - 0%
None
Skill Demonstrations: All skill-based and physical demonstrations used for assessment purposes including skill performance exams.		Skill Demonstrations 30 - 50%
Skill demonstration(s)
Exams: All forms of formal testing, other than skill performance exams.		Exams 0 - 15%
Midterm(s) and/or Final essay exam(s) (if assigned)
Other: Includes any assessment tools that do not logically fit into the above categories.		Other Category 5 - 10%
Participation in class and/or online class discussion activities

Representative Textbooks and Materials:

The Powerful Role of Play in Early Childhood Education. California Department of Education. 2021.

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