Tina Bruce Essay

344 Words2 Pages
Child development theories support planning for learning and play in child care settings. Tina Bruce’s child development theories “favour a holistic approach to teaching young children which focuses on creativity, play and first-hand experiences.” (Pound. L, 2009, pg.13) She believes that free-flow play is important for children as it promotes their independence and allows them to make choices and also make mistakes. This allows them to learn from these mistakes and enhance their learning. Bruce states that “The importance of opportunities to act as independent learner, making choices and mistakes with an emphasis on self-motivation.” (Pound. L, 2009, pg.13). Free-flow play is extremely important in regards to a child’s holistic development. Bruce states that “play helps co-ordinate and integrate what the child learns, and brings together all the different aspects of a child’s development.” (Pound. L, 2009, pg.13). It gives the children an opportunity to develop their skills at their own pace and explore the environment, choosing the activities they want to take part in and the toys they want to play with. Free-flow play also allows children to choose how they want to interact with the activities and the other children. Some children will play with another child or group of children; whereas other children will play next to other children. It also allows the practitioner to establish what a child’s skills are and where they are currently working at. “When children play, they show their skills and competencies.” (Pound. L, 2009, pg.13). Through using Tina Bruce’s theory of children being independent learners; practitioners can observe children while they are playing, thus using this information to plan adaptable activities that reflect the level that each child is currently working at. For example, if a child has been playing with the puzzles and the
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