3 semester credits

Play is a time when children explore, discover, and imagine; they express themselves, lose themselves, and find themselves all over again. Creativity may involve seeing the world in new ways, finding new ways to solve problems, and giving birth to ideas based on who each child is, what they feel, and how they learn, think, and interact. Early childhood professionals recognize that both play, and creativity are integral to healthy human development. And, both flourish in environments where children feel respected, are encouraged to take risks, and have time to live in what they are experiencing. In this course, early childhood professionals, as leaders of and advocates for effective practice, study international research and perspectives on the value of play and creativity and how to advocate for the infusion of play and creativity into early childhood teaching and learning.