DOUBLE TAP TO ZOOM WITH PHONE OR TABLET Family bulletin board When children play in the sand, they are learning to: When children play in the house area, they are learning to: When children play in the block area, they are learning to: When children climb on the jungle gym, they are learning to: Engaging the Whole Child Play engages the whole child. When children run and jump, they stimulate their muscles and their brains. As children gain in their language abilities, they are more able to solve their conflicts with words. This is what we mean when we empha- size working with the whole child. Although standards are divided into different domains, always remember that no child is divided into parts. Play helps us pro- vide motivating and engaging activities that give children a developmental boost in all areas. Play gives children opportunities to meet these standards. As you deepen your understanding of your state’s early learning standards, you will see children reaching those standards again and again through play. Your close documentation of the improvements in children’s skills through play will give you relevant material to share with parents and your colleagues. You help children use play as a vehicle to accomplish the standards by setting up a rich environment, scaffolding the play both of groups of children and individual children who are not able to participate fully in play, and implementing plans that support all children as they explore through play. COPYRIGHTED MATERIAL Learning from Play | 13