Exploring Young Children's Literacy Development Through Play

An exploratory study was conducted to determine the effects of literacy-enriched play centers and the emergent literacy behaviors of five-year-old kindergarten children. This study focused on play activities that promote reading and writing that can be integrated in play centers in the early childhood curriculum. Qualitative analysis of the data indicated that a language or literacy component can be integrated in the play activities of kindergarten children. Play activities were used to promote the inventing symbols and messages in children's writing. The teachers in the kindergarten classrooms created a literate environment to promote the children's literacy development.