Play, Agency, and Holistic Development: Reflecting on NAEYC’s Core Principles
As educators, we are constantly looking for frameworks that bridge theory and practice, tools that ground our daily classroom decisions in solid developmental science. Reading through the 12 Principles of Child Development and Learning published by the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC, 2020), two core principles immediately stood out to me as vital pillars for supporting young learners:
Play as a primary vehicle for development and learning
The interconnectedness of physical, social-emotional, and linguistic domains
These domains are not merely theoretical concepts; they actively inform child development and shape our overall approaches to learning. When we structure our educational frameworks around these principles, we can more effectively meet the diverse needs of every learner.
1. Play: The Core Engine of Teaching and Learning
As a Drama teacher, it is natural for me to place play high up on the totem pole when it comes to child development. As NAEYC (2020) emphasizes, play is central to early teaching and learning because it embodies all the core elements of effective growth. It provides a natural mechanism for infants, toddlers, and young children to explore, experiment, and make sense of their experiences.
Educational literature strongly supports the power of play:
Meaning-Making and Real-World Connections: Dorothy Heathcote (2013) documented how play allows learners to step into simulated events, enabling them to create meaning and build deep connections with the world around them.
Experiential Knowledge Creation: Kolb (1984) described learning as a process where knowledge is created through the transformation of experience, a dynamic that happens naturally during play.
Holistic Skill Building: NAEYC (2020) highlights how play strengthens both gross and fine motor skills while promoting cognitive expansion. Through varied forms of play, learners develop both mentally and physically.
Bringing Theory to Life: Guided Play in Practice
To maximize the benefits of play, educators must intentionally construct environments that spark curiosity and creativity (Leong, 2010). Intentionality is key, play in the classroom should remain educationally focused and aligned with intentional goals.
For instance, during a unit on Animal Care, I organized a field trip to the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA) as an extension for learning and guided play. During direct play at the SPCA, I:
Observed and recorded student interactions.
Selectively participated to guide and facilitate play steps around real-world animal care.
Curated specific play elements, environments, and motivations focused on animal welfare to enhance instruction.
By framing play within a real-life context, I observed notable growth in my students' vocabulary, language skills, memory, and creative capacity for non-fiction writing.
2. Interconnected Domains: Physical, Social, Emotional, and Linguistic Growth
The second principle emphasizes that development across physical, social-emotional, and linguistic domains does not occur in isolation. NAEYC (2020) reinforces that these domains are deeply interconnected; progress in one area directly influences and supports growth in the others.
Fostering growth across all these areas requires a holistic approach that extends beyond traditional academic instruction:
Honoring the Learner’s Voice: Educators need an approach to teaching that actively honors learners' thoughts, feelings, and ideas, creating a classroom dynamic with shared power.
Encouraging Learner Agency: Frameworks like the International Baccalaureate (IB) support this holistic approach by encouraging students to take ownership of their learning journey and draw upon their personal attributes.
Active Learning Strategies: In my own practice, I utilize strategies such as imaginative play, storytelling, dance, and role-play. These modalities position learners as active agents, eliciting simultaneous emotional, physical, social, and linguistic responses.
Early childhood learning theories consistently advocate for self-discovery through interaction and problem-solving. When we build environments where power is shared and learners are physically and emotionally engaged, we give them the tools to know and understand the world for themselves.
Final Thoughts for Educators
When we view play and domain-interconnectedness not as optional extras, but as foundational principles of learning, our instructional design transforms. By purposefully designing environments that encourage play, agency, and active reflection, we create rich learning experiences where children thrive across every dimension of development.
References
Heathcote, D. (2013). Education through drama: Planning with Heathcote [Video recording]. Insight Media.
Kolb, D. A. (1984). Experiential learning: Experience as the source of learning and development (Vol. 1). Prentice-Hall.
Leong, S. (2010). Creativity and assessment in Chinese arts education: Perspectives of Hong Kong students. Research Studies in Music Education, 32(1), 85–101.
National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC). (2020). Developmentally appropriate practice (4th ed.) / Principles of child development and learning that inform practice. NAEYC. https://www.naeyc.org/resources/position-statements/dap/principles
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