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How does play in the preschool setting help literacy?

The Government Preschools in the ACT develop wonderful foundations for all children. They are purpose built preschool buildings with a wonderful array of resources and equipment provided by parents and the parent associations over the years. For some children, Preschool is the first time they have been with a group of children their own age. We generally only have children who are born within a year of each other. Child care centres usually will have children together who can be over 2 years difference in age. Our preschool programs are therefore targeting the one age group.
The preschool teacher has the ability to develop learning environments that encourages children to learn and develop as they play. The preschool teacher will also provide opportunities for the child to develop their literacy through their play.
For example the home corner area in the preschool gives the children the opportunity to be with other children, acting our the home environment. They will need to communicate whose turn it is to set the table, who is going to be the parents and who are the children. They may join and have a meal together, and discuss the food that they like to eat.
The teacher may provide an Emergency Department where there are dress-ups for a hospital. Medical Props may be provided to help with children who need oxygen, injections, bandages and medication. The children's language in this area is developed as they play being doctors, nurses and patients. There are even times when this type of play has contributed to a preschool child being calm when faced with stitches in the emergency department, while the parents have been quite anxious. Children may even act out doing the necessary administrative work of the emergency department, answering phones, talking medical notes, and even coping with people in the waiting room.
The Preschool block area allows the children to discuss the implications of their buildings. The children communicate and share their ideas with each other, as they play. They may have to overcome social play issues by communicating their needs and negotiating with the other children. They will often use maths terms in the language here, such as big, small, long, short, straight, curved, square, circle, rectangle and triangle.
The preschool teacher provides table activities that develop the children's skills and knowledge as they play. The children will learn to communicate as they begin to share equipment, share ideas and develop their social skills. They will also develop their fine motor skills, a necessary area before they start to write.
The outside area of the preschool is an environment where children can play in different types of domains. There will be a sandpit and a variety of areas to use their gross motor skills. As the children are playing they may develop their imaginative skills by creating pretend games. These imaginative games are wonderful for creating stories both verbally and when they begin to write. No matter what they say to do, their imaginative thoughts and actions can become part of the play. The children become confident in communicating their ideas and thoughts into their play with the other children. This enhances the children's ability to develop their creative writing skills.
Some preschools have a vegetable garden, mud digging pits, cubby houses, fixed play equipment, obstacle courses and sports equipment. All these area encourage the children to explore the environment, develop their language and literacy skills.
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