The National Association of School Psychologists advocates the notion that children do things because of both external and intrinsic motivations. A child may be externally motivated to do something because of a parent's encouragement, for example. But intrinsic motivation occurs when a child decides to do something because of his own internal desires. Unstructured play allows children to become familiar with their own internal motivation and learning processes, while learning valuable lessons about persistence, challenge and personal enjoyment.
Curiosity in play helps encourage young children to explore. When children have good experiences during playtime, being rewarded for risk-taking and exploration, curiosity is positively rewarded. Curiosity during play can lead children into new situations (real or imaginary) that introduce opportunities for problem-solving, improvisation and social interaction.
Bergen's study found that children who engaged in pretend play enjoyed increased cognitive competence, including more complex abstract thought and greater linguistic skills. During pretend play, children learn to use objects as symbols; for example, a baby doll may symbolize a human baby or a toy train may symbolize a real-world train. Creating "scripts" of dialogue and narrative plot to animate the symbolic baby doll or toy train in an enjoyable way can positively engage a child's brain.
Play may also help children reduce feelings of real-world aggression by allowing them space to safely explore those emotions and perhaps replace them with humor and other positive feelings, according to a Boston College study by developmental psychologist Peter Gray published in "American Journal of Play" in 2009, the Medical News Reports.
In their 2008 study, "Play for a Change-Play, Policy and Practice: A Review of Contemporary Perspectives," Stuart Lester and Wendy Russell at the University of Gloucestershire drew on neuroscience and sociology analyses to show that play can also help young children learn resiliency and the ability to adapt, Medical News Today reports.
Bergen's study showed that embedding reading materials in play situations helped young children improve literacy by encouraging them to become more "spontaneous" readers. Additionally, numbers embedded in play situations proved in longitudinal studies to help young children verbalize math concepts. Preschoolers tracked through seventh grade were found to have increased verbalization of math concepts after being exposed to play situations where numbers were embedded.
The National Association of School Psychologists offers suggestions to help parents and guardians encourage learning through play. Parents can create a safe environment where children can freely explore and play. Children can be encouraged to learn through play by having designated free time, without interruption or interference by adults. Encouraging kids to evaluate their own experiences after play helps them verbalize problem-solving situations. Parents may also choose to refrain from excessive praise or rewards to steer children's motivations to more intrinsic factors, such as self-esteem or confidence.
As many school districts have increased time spent preparing young children for government proficiency testing, designated playtime has become more reduced. Free time in kindergarten and recess breaks have been shortened or eliminated. Educators may find themselves challenged to maintain high levels of academic readiness and test performance while incorporating unstructured play time to encourage more intrinsically motivated learning.