**5. Diverse play opportunities available to young children in the Indian setting**

Several researches and innovative early childhood care and education programs have recognized that children learn best through play and learning by doing. Children in the younger age group are naturally curious and exploratory in nature. They want to discover their immediate world using their senses and physical attributes. Many researchers in the field of child development have noticed children in constant interaction with their environment, and they want to touch, feel and experience everything they see. All that matters to children is to play and enjoy with everything they come across. Furthermore children learn by doing, by being the active participants in the learning process. Although play promotes growth and development among children, children do not engage in different play activities for these outcomes. Rather play among children is self-initiated and is often described as being natural, spontaneous, enjoyable and is a reward in itself.

## **5.1 Play and cultural diversity**

One of the most common elements of childhood across cultures is play. Considering the diversity in India, it is utmost important to understand the diverse play opportunities available to young children in the Indian setting.

Moreover, exploring the relationship of play and cultural diversity is important for following reasons. First, a rapidly growing enrollment of young children from culturally diverse backgrounds is entering schools; this is significant in most urban cities where the migration is denser.

Second, play is a way for children to learn about the world around them. They not only learn about themselves but also about diversity in principles, ideologies etc. among other people. And finally, play can encourage positive bonding and relationships among children with diverse cultural settings and enhance a positive awareness of individual differences as well. Playing traditional games enhances friendships or health but it is deeply connected towards making children prepared for the journey called life.

#### **5.2 Play and cultural values**

Imparting cultural beliefs & values to young children is a way to orient young minds about their tradition in every society. There is also another thought that stresses upon the cultural influence on children and that it can come from many sources including the family, neighborhoods, child care and education centers, and the media. Play in early years also helps in developing a sense of pride and understanding of people in various cultures from the very beginning. Play is one of the mostly adapted techniques used with children to help them know and understand about their culture, practices, norms, customs, and values. It is also indicated that many traditional games with specific rules, provide a great means of communicating social norms of a society and form an integral part of that culture [18]. These games and their rules help in integration and solidarity among group members while providing aspects for segregation from other group members. Moreover, the types of play organized by children and play materials used are associated with their culture, for example, *kaudi* (small shells), pebbles and coconut shells are associated with communities living on beaches or near oceans and sea. Play during the early years also provides ample opportunities for young children to practice skills that will be useful to them as adults in that community. Play thus, serves an important role in enculturation.

**61**

*Play as a Mechanism of Promoting Emergent Literacy among Young Children: The Indian Context*

This aspect is also enumerated in book on the history of toys [19]. The book describes that although some play materials such as toy animals or balls appear to be common among children everywhere, often toys and play materials mirror the culture in which children live. The author describes that at times children's play material might have religious significance, while at other times they may be related to skills of the adults in the community. The author also gives the example of Eskimos and how they made toys with ivory as ivory was easily available. Similarly

Similarly in India the play material available for children from different regions of the country depends on the locally available material to them. In Odisha, an east Indian state, children play with toys made of jute materials, while children living in the remotest village of Nandubar in Maharashtra, a west Indian state, have toys

Children can connect with their heritage through traditional games and this has a deep lifelong positive impact on their learning. Early childhood researchers and practitioners have been actively discussing the importance of play in the lives of young children and guiding ECE educators through different sources about the use of play and traditional games, stories & lullabies as a means of promoting cultural

**6. Early learning experiences in the diverse cultural settings**

Children have been observed to play in diverse settings. Regardless of city, suburban, or rural settings, throughout the world, children play. If they grow up in an agrarian economy and accompany their mothers into the fields, they find ways to play within that environment, and there are reports that mothers who work in such settings also find ways to make the time with their children pass in playful ways [20]. Children play whether they live in rural or urban settings; belong to rich or poor families. One of the most common essentials of childhood across cultures is

Children's play is influenced by cultural backgrounds and it is imperative to recognize the importance of cultural influences on children's play. It is also important for early childhood educators to recognize the importance of play in the lives of young children in order to make use of play as a means of promoting cultural

It is important to understand the relationship of play and cultural diversity as a large population of young children belonging to culturally diverse backgrounds are entering early educational setups. It is through play that children learn about the world around them and learn about their own and other cultural values. Play helps children understand and enhance a positive awareness of individual differences and cultural diversity of other children around them. Thus, play experiences provide an excellent way to teach children about differences among communities and negate

**7. Role of traditional games, stories and lullabies as a mechanism to** 

Playing games has always been an exciting and the most loving part of growing up for us. Numerous times we fondly recollect the happiness experienced while playing childhood games. Most of us have definitely played traditional games when we were

**enhance children's holistic development and learning**

*DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.82363*

people living near sea often made toy boats.

made out of wooden twigs, sticks etc.

any negative perceptions or stereotypes.

awareness.

play.

awareness.

#### *Play as a Mechanism of Promoting Emergent Literacy among Young Children: The Indian Context DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.82363*

This aspect is also enumerated in book on the history of toys [19]. The book describes that although some play materials such as toy animals or balls appear to be common among children everywhere, often toys and play materials mirror the culture in which children live. The author describes that at times children's play material might have religious significance, while at other times they may be related to skills of the adults in the community. The author also gives the example of Eskimos and how they made toys with ivory as ivory was easily available. Similarly people living near sea often made toy boats.

Similarly in India the play material available for children from different regions of the country depends on the locally available material to them. In Odisha, an east Indian state, children play with toys made of jute materials, while children living in the remotest village of Nandubar in Maharashtra, a west Indian state, have toys made out of wooden twigs, sticks etc.

Children can connect with their heritage through traditional games and this has a deep lifelong positive impact on their learning. Early childhood researchers and practitioners have been actively discussing the importance of play in the lives of young children and guiding ECE educators through different sources about the use of play and traditional games, stories & lullabies as a means of promoting cultural awareness.
