Play and learning in early childhood education: The contribution of High Scope, Reggio Emilia and Montessori pedagogical approaches

Abstract

The key role of play in early-years education has been highlighted by several pedagogues such as Froebel, Montessori, Weikart, Malaguzzi, among many others. It is consensual among the international educational community that children now spend far more time being instructed and tested in literacy and math than they do learning through play, exercising their bodies and using their imagination and creativity. This chapter aims to reflect on the power of play for children’s learning and development and to analyze how three pedagogicalmodels, the High Scope, Reggio Emilia, and Montessori, integrate play throughout their curriculum development. The chapter is organized in several topics, namely: (i) the role of play in early childhood education; (ii) the High Scope curriculum and opportunities given to children to engage in free play and play with purposes; (iii) the Reggio Emilia approach: play through 100 languages; (iv) the Montessori method, from hands-on activity and self-directed activity to collaborative play; (v) final remarks.