One of the hottest topics in early childhood education is the role of play in the classroom. Although early childhood educators understand the importance of incorporating play into a developmentally appropriate curriculum, many parents have a difficult time understanding why their child is playing in the classroom.

Now, imagine that you have recently had several parents in your classroom ask you about why their child is playing in the classroom. You have decided to write a letter to the parents to help them understand why play has been incorporated into your classroom and how it is benefiting the development of their children. Your letter should include the following:

• Explain why play is an important part of a developmentally appropriate curriculum.
• Describe how play can help to support a child’s physical, cognitive, and affective development.
• Provide an example of one play-based activity that demonstrates to parents how play supports their child’s development. For instance, you could explain how playing a game of hopscotch can help a child with their gross motor skills (physical development) and counting (cognitive development).

Support your assignment with at least five scholarly resources. In addition to these specified resources, other appropriate scholarly resources, including older articles, may be included.

Length: 5-7 pages, not including title and reference pages

Your assignment should demonstrate thoughtful consideration of the ideas and concepts presented in the course by providing new thoughts and insights relating directly to this topic. Your response should reflect scholarly writing and current APA standards. Be sure to adhere to Northcentral University’s Academic Integrity Policy.

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