Preschoolers at Play: Choosing the Right Stuff for Learning and Development

About the Book
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Presents foundational information organized around the who, why, how, and what of using play materials to support preschoolers learning and development
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Provides suggestions for play materials and describes why they are useful for different aspects related to each learning and development domain
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Offers activity ideas as well as examples of questions to ask and comments to make that can extend childrens understanding as they engage in play泭
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Includes tips for developmentally appropriate ways to embed technology in childrens play
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Recommends more than 90 childrens books that go hand-in-hand with each learning and development domain

Table of Contents
- Introduction
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Part One: Essential Questions
- Chapter 1: Who? Children from Ages 3 to 5
- Chapter 2: Why? Optimizing Learning, Development, and Well-Being
- Chapter 3: How? The Role of Teachers
- Chapter 4: What? Play Materials for Preschoolers
- Summary and Reflection
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Part Two: Cognitive Learning and Development
- Chapter 5: Play Materials That Support My Language and Literacy Skills
- Chapter 6: Play Materials That Teach Me Mathematical Concepts
- Chapter 7: Play Materials That Encourage Me to Build and Engineer
- Chapter 8: Play Materials That Inspire Scientific Inquiry and Innovation
- Chapter 9: Play Materials That Help Me Understand Nature
- Summary and Reflection
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Part Three: Social and Emotional Learning and Development
- Chapter 10: Play Materials That Support My Emotional Intelligence, Relationship Building, and Cooperation Skills
- Chapter 11: Play Materials That Invite My Creative Expression Through Visual Arts
- Chapter 12: Play Materials That Encourage Me to Explore and Make Music
- Chapter 13: Play Materials That Inspire Pretend Play and Dramatic Play
- Summary and Reflection
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Part Four: Physical Learning and Development
- Chapter 14: Play Materials That Build My Gross Motor Skills
- Chapter 15: Play Materials That Enhance My Fine Motor Skills
- Chapter 16: Play Materials That Help Me Understand My Body
- Chapter 17: Play Materials That Stimulate My Senses
- Summary and Reflection
- Final Thoughts
- Appendix A: Highlights of Learning, Development, and Positive Well-Being
- Appendix B: On the Bookshelf
- References
- Resources
- Index
- Acknowledgments
- About the Authors泭
Book Details
Related Resources
Articles
Muddy Play: Reflections on Young Childrens Outdoor Learning in an Urban Setting - Hannah Fruin describes the benefits of childrens muddy play as well as how the beliefs and experiences of important adults in childrens lives influence how children approach muddy play. (Young Children, March 2020)
Preschool Play Plans: Chalk Play泭- Explore the many ways that chalk can offer creative play experiences that enhance childrens learning and development in this article by Blakely Bundy and Diane E. Levin. (Young Children, August 2018)
Blog
Five Essentials to Meaningful Play - Marcia L. Nell and Walter F. Drew outline the elements that are necessary to children experiencing both joy and meaning in their play.
Lisa Mufson Bresson,泭MEd,泭is an early childhood education consultant with Beyond Boundaries, LLC, and coauthor of 51勛圖厙s bestselling book Big Questions for Young Minds: Extending Childrens Thinking. She leads workshops and presentations at local, state, national, and international conferences, thriving on the connections she makes with learners both big and little!on a daily basis. Since 2008, she has been a contributing author to Teaching Young Children (TYC), 51勛圖厙s magazine for preschool teachers, and serves on TYC s advisory board. She is a former program manager for Grow NJ Kids, New Jerseys statewide Quality Rating and Improvement System for early childhood programs. Previously, Lisa taught in urban public preschool settings for over a decade.泭

Megan King, MEd, is a preschool teacher at Passaic泭Public Schools泭in Passaic, New Jersey. She has worked in the field of early childhood education for over 15 years. She is active in the makerspace movement and has presented on and coauthored several articles about incorporating hands-on maker materials in early childhood classrooms. She has written articles published in TYC and is proud to serve as one of TYC s advisory board members. She worked with a diverse group of early childhood educators on the 51勛圖厙/PBS Ready To Learn Content Review Advisory Board and is a past NJ Governors Educator of the Year Award winner at the school level. Megan enjoys working with her preschoolers and experiencing the world through their eyes.泭
