Developmentally Appropriate Practice
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“Play is the highest form of research.” ~ Albert Einstein
An approach to teaching grounded in the research on how children develop and learn and in what is known about effective early education. DAP framework is designed to promote children’s optimal learning and development. DAP involves teachers meeting children where they are (by stage of development), both as individuals and as part of a group; and helping each child meet challenging and achievable learning goals.
It is important when determining what play activities to use with children that they are developmentally appropriate. It is also important that you have a way to adapt them to fit each child’s needs so that no one is excluded from playing. This could be as simple as having a ‘walking round’ within a tag game instead of always having the children run. This would be a great adaptation for children who cannot run, do not like to run, or just want to walk.