Play at the Center of the Curriculum

This third edition continues to take to heart the adage, 'Play is children's work'. It introduces the theories of Piaget, Vygotsky, Erikson, Mead, and many contemporary researchers; explores the traditional curriculum arenas of early childhood education; and includes discussion of the role of work, adult models, and authority in children's play.

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For courses in play and curriculum.

This is the third edition of the text that takes to heart the adage: Play is children's work. Believing that play is a primary factor in the development of intelligence, personality, competencies, self-awareness, and social awareness, the authors demonstrate how to draw from spontaneous play both the methods and the content of a successful curriculum for children from birth to age 8. The text introduces the theories of Piaget, Vygotsky, Erikson, Mead, and many contemporary researchers; explores the traditional curriculum arenas of early childhood education; and, includes discussion of the role of work, adult models, and authority in children's play.