Some parents at your school are constantly complaining that the children play too much and they werent sent to school to play. A mother of a child in the Nursery Department recently stormed into the principals office and blurted, Look how dirty my child is. Is this all they do here, play? I need to send her to a school where learning takes place!

Having been recently appointed as the coordinator for the Nursery & Kindergarten department, and based on your knowledge of child growth and development, your principal has asked you to address the parents on The Value of Play in Child Development at the upcoming Parent Teachers Association meeting.

Include the following:

a) What is play and make reference to Article 31of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (7 marks)

b) What is the positive effect of play on the physical, cognitive and socio-emotional development of the child? (12 marks)

c) Suggest a play activity to support each of the developmental domain (cognitive, physical and socio-emotional) needs of the child (6 marks).