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ERIC Number: EJ959714
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2011-Jul
Pages: 6
Abstractor: ERIC
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-1538-6619
EISSN: N/A
Superheroes: An Opportunity for Prosocial Play
De-Souza, Desalyn; Radell, Jacqueline
Young Children, v66 n4 p26-31 Jul 2011
Superhero play has long been thought of as violent, aggressive, and disruptive. Some argue that aggressive play should not be allowed because it exposes children to inappropriate concepts and attitudes and sends the message that the use of aggression can achieve a desired goal. However, educators know that pretend play is an avenue for healthy emotional development. Pretend play builds children's understanding of emotion, which helps them regulate their feelings. Acting out themes and stories in pretend play lets children practice communicating their emotions and leads toward emotional regulation. Teachers can further promote children's social-emotional skills by supporting and scaffolding pretend play, expanding on children's themes and roles. Using these strategies, all types of pretend play, including superhero play, can have a positive impact. This article shares the experience of a preschool teacher, author Jacqueline Radell, who integrated prosocial superhero play in her Head Start classroom. She offers strategies for implementing prosocial superhero play. Early childhood educators can use these strategies to address all aggressive behavior, not just superhero play.
National Association for the Education of Young Children. 1313 L Street NW Suite 500, Washington, DC 22205-4101. Tel: 800-424-2460; Tel: 202-232-8777; Fax: 202-328-2649; e-mail: editorial@naeyc.org; Web site: http://www.naeyc.org/yc/
Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Descriptive
Education Level: Preschool Education
Audience: Teachers
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A