Fred Rogers once said, “Play is often talked about as if it were a relief from serious learning. But for children, play is serious learning. Play is really the work of childhood.” We’ve shared several resources on the importance of play on the Neighborhood, and are happy to add another to our library: “I is for Independent Play” from Zero to Three. This article lists several strategies for parents and caregivers to support independent play with their infant or toddler. Check it out at the link above and think about how you might add to or modify some of the strategies for families of babies and toddlers with disabilities. For example, parents implementing the tip to “make sure the toys are right for your child’s age and stage” may need suggestions on appropriate toys for their child’s current and emerging developmental abilities.
The ICC-Recommended Early Start Personnel Manual (ESPM) describes core knowledge and role-specific competencies needed for early intervention service provision, incorporating current research and evidence in the field of early intervention. To access the ESPM, click here.
This resource is related to the following ESPM knowledge-level competencies:
- Core Knowledge (CK):
- CK5: The importance of play as context, method, and outcome of learning.
- Individualized Family Service Plan Development and Review (IFSP-i):
- IFSP-i2 (EIS): Understands the individual nature of child learning styles and the importance of adapting intervention strategies.
- IFSP-i3 (EIS): Knows generic and specific evidence-based early intervention strategies to support all areas of development.