The Children's Play Centre: Its Psychological Value and its Place in the Training of Teachers

The Children's Play Centre, published in 1937, evaluates the value of Gardners Play Centre in child education and teacher training. It highlights the importance of play in children's development and provides a detailed report of Gardners experiment. The book explores the Play Centre's significance in training students and its lasting relevance in education and psychology.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 158 pages
Publication date: 30 March 2023
Publisher: Taylor & Francis Ltd

First published in 1937, The Children's Play Centre is a comprehensive account of Gardners Play Centre and her pioneering work in assessing the invaluable role of play in children's education and teacher training. The book delves deep into the significance of play in shaping children's cognitive, social, and emotional development, offering a detailed report of Gardners experimental endeavors. Moreover, it explores the profound impact of the Play Centre on the technique of training students, making it a valuable resource for educators and scholars interested in the history of education and the psychology of education.

Gardner's Play Centre, established in 1937, was a groundbreaking initiative aimed at understanding the educational value of play and its potential to enhance children's learning experiences. The centre was founded by the renowned educator and psychologist Jean Piaget, who believed that play was a natural and essential aspect of children's growth and development.

In her book, The Children's Play Centre, Gardner provides a detailed account of her work at the Play Centre and her assessment of its impact on children's education and teacher training. Through her experiments and observations, Gardner demonstrated the importance of play in promoting cognitive development, socialization, and emotional regulation in children. She also explored the ways in which play could be used as a teaching tool to facilitate learning and promote student engagement.

One of the key findings of Gardner's work was the recognition of the importance of play in the development of children's imagination, creativity, and problem-solving skills. She argued that play provided a safe and supportive environment for children to explore and experiment, allowing them to develop their own ideas and solutions to challenges. This, in turn, helped to foster a sense of autonomy and self-confidence in children, which was essential for their overall development.

Gardner's Play Centre also played a significant role in training teachers in the techniques of play-based education. Through her workshops and training sessions, Gardner taught teachers how to create and facilitate play-based learning environments that were engaging, interactive, and effective in promoting children's learning. She emphasized the importance of providing children with a variety of materials and resources to explore and manipulate, as well as the importance of observing and documenting children's play to gain insights into their learning processes.

The Children's Play Centre has had a lasting impact on the field of education and has influenced the development of play-based learning practices in many schools and early childhood education settings. The book continues to be a valuable resource for educators and scholars interested in the history of education and the psychology of education, offering insights into the importance of play in shaping children's development and the role of educators in promoting play-based learning.

In conclusion, The Children's Play Centre, first published in 1937, is a seminal work that has profoundly impacted the field of education. Through her pioneering work at the Play Centre and her assessment of its value in children's education and teacher training, Gardner demonstrated the importance of play in shaping children's cognitive, social, and emotional development. The book has had a lasting impact on the development of play-based learning practices and continues to be a valuable resource for educators and scholars interested in the history of education and the psychology of education.

Weight: 180g
Dimension: 127 x 197 x 11 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9780367772093