It is a way of communicating joy, fear , sorrow, and anxiety . OUR WORK > QUALITY IN PRACTICE > PLAY. Through play children learn about shapes, colors, cause and effect, and themselves. Why Play? Play in Aistear and Síolta, the national curriculum and quality frameworks The research is so clear about the benefits of play that in Ireland we have established play as central to the early childhood curriculum. Maria Montessori, an Italian educationist during the early 1900s, postulated that "play is the child's work." This childhood activity of play prepares them to become healthy working adults. This topic will help you understand the benefits of play and why it should be an integral part of young children’s education. Early childhood education often focuses on guiding children to learn through play. MORE. The research is so clear about the benefits of play that in Ireland we have established play as central to the early childhood curriculum. Play is a legitimate right of childhood, representing a crucial aspect of children’s physical, intellectual and social development. Outdoor Play . Besides cognitive thinking, play helps the child learn social and psychomotor skills. Play in early childhood education (ECE) is a very broad topic that continues to generate much discussion and debate. Play as Sensory Learning. The term commonly refers to preschool or infant/child care programs. The term commonly refers to preschool or infant/child care programs. As children become adults, they no longer "play" but seek amusement from their occupation. Play is an important part of the childhood development. We all know it and the research supports it – children are happiest and at their most vital and energetic when they play. Learning through play is a term used in education and psychology to describe how a child can learn to make sense of the world around them.