Educational Media Reviews Online

Play: a Vygotskian Approach, written and narrated by Elema Bodrova and Deborah Leong, discusses Lev Vygotsky's insight into the role of play in the cognitive development of young children. The program is focused in part on a paper Vygotsky authored in 1933 entitled "Play and its role in the mental development of children". Play also compares Vygotsky's views with other theorists such as Sigmund and Anna Freud, Erik Erikson, and Piaget, and takes the audience directly into children's play settings.

The benefits of play are listed as affective and emotional, cognitive, and social. Vygotsky suggests that for children, play is a means of gratifying impossible desires (affective/emotional), not wish fulfillment or a way of working through problems/conflicts, as suggested by Freud and Erikson. Vygotsky also suggests that the road to abstract thinking in a child (the cognitive) is developed through play and is not divided into three distinct stages as viewed by Piaget. The social benefits of play, as studied collaboratively by Vygotsky and Daniel Elkonin, point out that it is a means by which a child learns self-regulation, or playing by the rules.

Bodrova and Leong further discuss Vygotsky's developmental path to play, as characterized in infancy, toddlerhood, early and later childhood. This path includes four components Vygotsky sees essential for play to occur: an imaginary situation, defined roles, rules, and use of language. Concluding this presentation, Bodrova and Leong offer the audience ways to achieve or foster quality play. These include points such as redirecting and replacing violent play with constructive play, encouraging children to play by assigning roles, and providing a stimulating environment. This segment offers excellent ideas and examples to those involved with young children.

Play: a Vygotskian Approach is another well written and produced program distributed by Davidson Films. The presentation is extremely organized and very clear. The use of charts enables viewers to take notes easily and the interspersed animation adds to the present quality of carefully chosen and filmed children's play sessions. Play: a Vygotskian Approach would enhance a library collection that supports programs in the fields of early childhood education and/or psychology.

This program comes highly recommended.