Child Development through Play  

This course is available in book format and requires a textbook and coursebook.

"Thank you for another excellent home-study course.  Child Development Through Play was a thorough review while also a challenging learning exercise.   It is also an excellent resource for further reading on many topics!" - Scituate, Massachusetts

Course Number	Course/Textbook Format*	Clock Hours	Generic CEUs	Tuition	Add to Cart
CDP-12A	Coursebook	8	0.8	$32.00
CDP-89A	Coursebook with Textbook	8	0.8	$42.00

*This course is different from many of our courses because it requires both a coursebook, Child Development through Play, and a textbook, Play in the Lives of Children. Coursebooks contain the quizzes, answer sheets and some information. Textbooks contain important information and you must read the textbook to get credit for the course. Every student must have his or her own copy of the coursebook, but if you wish to share textbooks, that is fine. Coursebooks are only available from Care Courses. Textbooks are available in the bundle above and individually from The Care Courses Bookstore. Textbooks might also be available at your local library or at a bookstore.

Course Description: Learn the function and importance of play in the lives of young children. Course includes practical suggestions for selecting toys and materials, designing play environments, and interacting with children to facilitate their learning through and enjoyment of play. We recommend that you have some background in child development for this somewhat more advanced course.

Chapters cover: What Is Play; Different Kinds of Play; Ages and Stages of Play; How Play Affects Child Development; Influences on Play; Ways to Encourage Play

Clock hours cover: child development, curriculum development

1. Definition of play
2. Why children want to play
3. The nature of children's play
4. The differences between adults' and children's play
5. The difference between exploration and play
6. How play changes with cognitive, physical, and social development
7. Skills that young children practice in play and how they practice these skills in their play
8. How young children's social interaction changes as they mature
9. How children's symbolic play changes as they mature
10. How young children communicate about their symbolic play
11. How young children's development influences their use of rules in their play
12. Ways in which play contributes to learning
13. The role of play in developing problem solving skills
14. Ways in which play supports language and literacy development
15. Ways in which children express their emotions during play
16. Factors that encourage play
17. Ways in which children's level of development, individual styles, social backgrounds, social environment, and physical environment influence their play
18. How to select toys and materials, design environments, and interact with children to facilitate their learning through and enjoyment of play
19. How to foster and support children's functional, constructive, and symbolic play
20. Strategies for handling play-related problems