Chapter 3: Perspectives on Play and Learning, and Their Relation to Motivation

Over many years, there has been increasing recognition of aspects of social learning as fundamental to developing not only social competence (Saracho & Spodek, 2007) but also learning in general. Potential connections between social learning and motivation are evident in children’s play during the early years. Indeed, it is argued that any consideration of learning in the early years must consider social issues (Bennett, Wood, & Rogers, 1997; Lillemyr, Fagerli, & Søbstad, 2001). This perspective seems necessary in a multicultural society, as it is significant for all types of childhood development and is important for lifelong learning and personal formation (cf. the concept of “bildung”¹). Global perspectives of early childhood education and care promote regard for the whole child as a unique human being with societal rights, which thereby emphasize the best of, and for, the child (United Nations, 1989). This approach is rather common in the Scandinavian countries (Broström, 2005; Pramling Samuelsson & Asplund Carlsson, 2003).