Play offers a forum where children can holistically apply, experiment with and extend their current experiences, skills and knowledge. Anything is possible as we sample and remix experiences and thoughts transporting us to imaginary realms. Bodrova & Leong (2003) highlight the importance of play because it can "affect children's motivation, facilitate cognitive decentering, advance the development of mental representations and foster the development of deliberate behaviours". Therefore it is vital to afford time to enable children to wallow in these experiences, establishing sound foundations for future learning.
The starting point for any learning is the learner; what they already know and believe; what they can do and have experienced to date; what interests and excites them. Social interaction and cultural experiences play important roles as well.
Television and film texts play a central role in the play culture of many young children, so acknowledgment and development of such play contexts will foster important social, emotional and communication skills that are vital for life and more formal aspects learning. Furthermore, through investigating the structures of these narratives children are developing their imaginative skills by:
Recognising and valuing the diversity of texts encountered in the home environment can create meaningful dialogues with parents and opportunities to help them support their child's literacy and social communication skills.
It created good links with home. The children were going home and talking about the play context.