3 semester credits

Playtime for children is an opportunity for growth and discovery as well as a time to develop life skills and to learn about themselves and other children. Education professionals are offered an in-depth look at the development, learning, and play experiences of preschoolers in this course. Education professionals focus on developmentally appropriate theory, practices, and environments that enhance children’s development and learning in each of the domains—physical, social, emotional, and cognitive/language. They explore and discuss the integral roles of play and creativity in children’s learning; the role of observation as it relates to establishing a child-centered approach to planning curriculum and assessing young children; the promotion of pro-social, anti-bias learning communities; and the importance of being responsive to and inclusive of children’s family members. Through field experience, education professionals apply knowledge gained throughout the course to authentic contexts in which they demonstrate their growth and development as teaching professionals.