Using Schema Play Theory to Advocate for Free Play in Early Childhood

Heather Bernt-Santy

ISBN 10: 0807787248 / ISBN 13: 9780807787243

Published by Teachers' College Press, US, 2025

About this Item

The host of the internationally popular early childhood podcast "That Early Childhood Nerd" provides a framework for understanding the importance of free play.Free play is disappearing from the lives of too many young children, leaving them vulnerable to negative effects on their physical and mental health, social and emotional growth, and academic development. Heather Bernt-Santy makes a powerful, research-based case for taking children's right to play seriously. She helps readers understand and resist the pressures and cultural influences that set up barriers to free play. Early care and education practitioners will learn how to see, support, and interpret play to those who are skeptical or unsure of play's benefits. Each chapter includes a scenario that offers readers the opportunity to closely observe children's play through the lens of Chris Athey's schema play theory. This framework will help educators advocate for play by identifying its contributions to children's overall development.Book Features:Introduces Chris Athey's theory of schema play and explores eight play schemas, including relevant research and child play scenarios.Offers guidance for explaining the importance of play to a variety of stakeholders, including colleagues, families, program administrators, and policymakers.Provides a framework to help educators identify learning in children's play and to extend the learning they see with young children (from birth to 5 years old).Explores how free play supports school readiness, brain development, social-emotional development, literacy development, and math and science learning.

Seller Inventory # LU-9780807787243

Bibliographic Details

• Title: Using Schema Play Theory to Advocate for Free Play in Early Childhood
• Publisher: Teachers' College Press, US
• Publication Date: 2025
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0807787248
• ISBN 13: 9780807787243
• Binding: Paperback
• Condition: New
• Dimensions: 15.56W x 0.79H x 22.86D centimeters 15.56 centimeters width by 0.79 centimeters height by 22.86 centimeters depth
• Weight: 222 grams

About this title

Synopsis

The host of the internationally popular early childhood podcast “That Early Childhood Nerd” provides a framework for understanding the importance of free play.

Free play is disappearing from the lives of too many young children, leaving them vulnerable to negative effects on their physical and mental health, social and emotional growth, and academic development. Heather Bernt-Santy makes a powerful, research-based case for taking children’s right to play seriously. She helps readers understand and resist the pressures and cultural influences that set up barriers to free play. Early care and education practitioners will learn how to see, support, and interpret play to those who are skeptical or unsure of play’s benefits. Each chapter includes a scenario that offers readers the opportunity to closely observe children’s play through the lens of Chris Athey’s schema play theory. This framework will help educators advocate for play by identifying its contributions to children’s overall development.

Book Features:

• Introduces Chris Athey’s theory of schema play and explores eight play schemas, including relevant research and child play scenarios.
• Offers guidance for explaining the importance of play to a variety of stakeholders, including colleagues, families, program administrators, and policymakers.
• Provides a framework to help educators identify learning in children’s play and to extend the learning they see with young children (from birth to 5 years old).
• Explores how free play supports school readiness, brain development, social-emotional development, literacy development, and math and science learning.

About the Author

Heather Bernt-Santy is a speaker, education consultant, writer, professor, and host of the internationally popular early childhood podcast “That Early Childhood Nerd.”