Play and Learning in Early Childhood Settings

1. Front Matter

   Pages I-XI

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2. A Cultural-Historical Perspective on Play: Play as a Leading Activity Across Cultural Communities

   • Marilyn Fleer

   Pages 1-17

3. Play and Learning in Aotearoa New Zealand Early Childhood Education

   • Jayne White, Fiona Ellis, Amiria O’Malley, Jean Rockel, Sue Stover, Meripa Toso

   Pages 19-49

4. Play and Learning in Australia

   • Marilyn Fleer, Holli A. Tonyan, Ana Cristina Mantilla, Corine M. Patricia Rivalland

   Pages 51-80

5. Play and Learning in Chile

   • Verónica Aedo, Leonor Cerda, Patricia Dintrans, Mirna Pizarro, Silvia Redón, Verónica Romo

   Pages 81-95

6. “Eduplay”: Beliefs and Practices Related to Play and Learning in Chinese Kindergartens

   • Nirmala Rao, Hui Li

   Pages 97-116

7. The Meaning of Play and Learning for 0–3-Year-Old Children in Japan

   • Mari Mori, Akiko Nezu, Chikage Samizo, Tomomi Naito, Mamiko Ishizuka

   Pages 117-134

8. Play and Learning in Swedish Early Childhood Education

   • Ingrid Pramling-Samuelsson, Sonja Sheridan

   Pages 135-154

9. Play and Learning in Wisconsin

   • Lenore Wineberg, Louis Chicquette

   Pages 155-171

10. Commonalities and Distinctions Across Countries

    • Ingrid Pramling-Samuelsson, Marilyn Fleer

    Pages 173-190

11. Back Matter

    Pages 191-195

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This book represents the outcome of the joint activities of a group of scholars who were concerned about the lack of international research in play for children from birth to 3 years. The authors are members of the Organisation Mondiale pour ` l’Education Prescholaire ´ (OMEP). For further information, see http://www.om- ong.net/. The idea of carrying out a research project internationally was born at the OMEP’s World Congress in Melbourne, Australia 2004. All member countries were invited and 10 countries decided to participate, of which three have withdrawn d- ing the process. The reason for this might be that in these countries only one person was working with the project, while other seven countries have been working in a team of two or more persons. The countries that have carried out research and contributed to this book with a chapter each are Australia, Chile, China, Japan, New Zealand, Sweden and USA (Wisconsin). For more information about the p- ticipating countries and their corresponding addresses, see Appendix I. This book project started in Melbourne with a discussion about what is general in early childhood education globally, and what is culturally speci c. The discussion was inspired by one of the keynote speakers, Nazhat Shameem (2004), judge in the supreme court in Fiji, when she said: “If we all think we are so different and speci c in each culture, the role of human rights has no value anymore.” We formulated three questions:

• Kindergarten
• childhood education
• children
• early childhood
• education
• play

• Dept. Education, Göteborg University, Sweden

  Ingrid Pramling-Samuelsson

• Monash University Fac. Education, Frankston VIC 3199

  Marilyn Fleer

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