Abstract
In this chapter, the authors discuss the two principles that emerged from this research project, and that can be applied for play-based learning in early childhood environmental education. These principles are (1) Valuing different play-types according to their pedagogical potential for engaging with aspects of environmental education; and (2) Creating combinations of play-types that support engagement with different aspects of environmental education. These two principles go beyond the traditional thinking of learning ‘naturally’ through play. This is because the principles allow educators to identify pedagogical value associated with a play type and to combine this with other play types to achieve environmental learning goals with children. Simply providing children with access to open-ended play in an outdoor setting is insufficient to support environmental learning. Environmental learning in the early years needs to provide children with opportunities for acquiring content knowledge that allow them to build understandings about their world and develop biophilic dispositions toward nature. This is a necessary basis for engaging children in discussion about the need for sustainability and sustainable actions in their own lives and communities.
Keywords
These keywords were added by machine and not by the authors. This process is experimental and the keywords may be updated as the learning algorithm improves.
Access this chapter
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
References
Dockett, S. (2011). The challenge of play for early childhood education. In S. Rogers (Ed.), Rethinking play and pedagogy in early childhood education: Concepts, contexts and cultures (pp. 32–48). London: Routledge.
Epstein, A. S. (2007). The intentional teacher: Choosing the best strategies for young children’s learning. Washington, D.C.: National Association for the Education of Young Children.
Fleer, M. (2011). ‘Conceptual Play’: foregrounding imagination and cognition during concept formation in early years education. Contemporary Issues in Early Childhood, 12(3), 224–240.
Siraj-Blatchford, J. (2009). Editorial: Education for sustainable development in early childhood. International Journal of Early Childhood, 41(2), 9–22.
Trawick-Smith, J. (2012). Teacher-child play interactions to achieve learning outcomes—Risks and opportunities. In R. C. Pianta, W. S. Barnett, L. M. Justice, & S. M. Sheridan (Eds.), Handbook of early childhood education. USA: Giuldford Publications.
Wood, E. (2013). Play, learning and the early childhood curriculum (3rd ed.). London: Sage Publications.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 2014 The Author(s)
About this chapter
Cite this chapter
Edwards, S., Cutter-Mackenzie, A., Moore, D., Boyd, W. (2014). A Challenge Reconsidered: Play-Based Learning in Early Childhood Environmental Education. In: Young Children's Play and Environmental Education in Early Childhood Education. SpringerBriefs in Education. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-03740-0_7
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-03740-0_7
Published:
Publisher Name: Springer, Cham
Print ISBN: 978-3-319-03739-4
Online ISBN: 978-3-319-03740-0
eBook Packages: Humanities, Social Sciences and LawEducation (R0)