Supporting Play in Early Childhood

Dorothy Louise Justus Sluss is a Professor at James Madison University, where she teaches and studies play, creativity, and inquiry. She discovered the power of play for young children when she started her career in a kindergarten classroom. This experience inspired her to devote the rest of her life trying to understand how children think, learn, and play. To this end, she spent 15 years teaching in public schools and 15 years teaching in higher education. Professor Sluss has had a variety of experiences in inclusion, private and public preschool, and elementary education. Since entering higher education, she has been active in publishing, teaching, and providing professional development. She has also served as a national leader of several professional groups and has received numerous awards for research and scholarship.

• Part I: THEORIES AND FOUNDATIONS OF PLAY. 1. Valuing Play. 2. Play as Development. 3. Observation and Assessment. Part II: PLAY IN EARLY EDUCATION.4. Supporting Play for Infants and Toddlers. 5. Supporting Play for Preschool Children. 6. Supporting Play in Kindergarten Classrooms. Part III: PLAY IN PRIMARY AND ELEMENTARY CLASSROOMS.7. Supporting Play in Primary School. 8. Supporting Play for Children in Middle Childhood. 9. Supporting Play for Children with Special Needs. Part IV: BEYOND THE CLASSROOM.10. Outdoor Play for Young Children. 11. Current Trends and Issues.