Page 32 - Choosing a Child Care Center

LETY CARVAJAL, M.ED.

comprehension, and social interaction. Make-believe
is also an important part of a play-based education
and can help children in developing social skills,
vocabulary, goals, and intuition. Using your imagina-
tion is the best part of being a kid! While there may
be some disagreements among children learning in a
play-based model, overall, the process is fun, exciting,
and enjoyable rather than forced. This cuts down on
the number of negative emotional moments that
might occur.
Nevertheless, a child’s brain in the early stages of
development is processing lots of big and new emo-
tions. In a play-based approach, teachers are armed
with tools to help them respond to emotional situa-
tions appropriately, help children understand these
appropriate responses, and guide them in relating
well to their peers. Gentle encouragement and redi-
rection help children to learn patience, self-control,
problem solving, and conflict resolution in a healthy
way.
The educational aspects of a play-based system
are taught through conversational and exploratory
techniques that teach children to use language, math,
science, and writing skills within the context of
everyday life rather than separated from it. This
allows children to understand the bigger role their
education plays in the picture of their life and how

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