Guided Play Definition. It is also an ideal example of an active engaged meaningful and socially interactive learning context hirsh pasek et al. But to quickly and concisely answer the question guided play is when parents caregivers and or educators get involved in their child s play to teach them new skills in an indirect and implicit way.
As students interact with one another and the materials teachers observe record confer occasionally participate or facilitate and they use this information to plan next steps. Children thrive when they engage in free play which involves active engagement and is fun voluntary and flexible burghardt 645512 cdpxxx10 1177 0963721416645512weisberg et al guided play. Free play in which children play independently through guided play where an adult oversees and gently directs or scaffolds their play to didactic instruc tion where a teacher directly instructs children playful learning occupies the span between free play and guided play.
Guided play takes place in a purposeful environment that s been carefully planned to stimulate and support children s curiosity and creativity.
A planned play environment enriched with objects toys that provide experiential learning opportunities infused with curricular. Children thrive when they engage in free play which involves active engagement and is fun voluntary and flexible burghardt 645512 cdpxxx10 1177 0963721416645512weisberg et al guided play. Guided play in which adults help structure a play activity but allow children to take the lead and direct the session is not only more fun for the child but also may be particularly effective for learning. In guided play adults choose play materials that encourage a certain kind of exploration or ask open ended questions at key moments to help shape children s choices or push children to think about what they are doing.
