Early childhood education focuses on children's learning through play, based on the research and philosophy of Jean Piaget. It has been thought that children learn more efficiently and gain more knowledge through play-based activities such as dramatic play, art, and social games. The theory of play stems from children's natural curiosity and imagination, allowing topic lessons to occur. Play is a vital part of development and early learning. Play influence cognitive, social, emotional development as well as self - regulation, motivation and decentration. Dramatic play is acting out interactions in cooperation with others. Children take on a make - believe role and imitate action. Dramatic play is a cooperative play. Cooperative play is when play has a goal and children often take roles and act as a group. .
I chose to observe a gender integrated group of children during their play time in a private kindergarten. There were twenty five year old preschoolers with one teacher and one assistant so that the ratio of students to the teachers was quite large. I concentrated on their behavior and interaction with their peers, parents and teachers. I specifically focused on the dramatic play, relationships with the peers and the adults and self control.
My first experiment included the kids' dramatic play. The entire class was divided into small groups. A group of children involved in my first observation consisted of two girls and two boys. The environment and the relationship between the kids within the group inspired creativity and role playing. It is interesting to note that each child chose his or her own role without any assignment and immediately began role playing: Yan became a bear, Mike was a doctor, Polly decided to be a hospital nurse while Miri was a nurse at the doctor's office. The theme of the game was veterinary services in the zoo.
Yan, the bear, came to the doctor's office.