Study sheet for early years educator training · Play
Early years educator training flashcard: What is play?
Play is voluntary, self-directed and valuable in itself. The process matters more than a finished result.
The child chooses to play; the process itself is the purpose.
Key professional terms
intrinsisch
Motivation comes from within the child
selbstbestimmt
The child helps decide
Prozessorientierung
The path matters more than the result
Example from early years practice
Mila freely builds a tower, knocks it down and starts again. She decides the idea, duration and course.
Memory sentence
„Play is voluntary, intrinsically motivated and process-oriented.“
Typical exam question
How can you tell whether an activity is truly play?
I check whether the child acts voluntarily, can make decisions and whether the process is central.
Transfer question and answer
A child chooses to paint, but the educator decides the subject, time and colours. Is this play?
Only partly. The start may be voluntary, but key decisions are externally controlled, so important features of play are missing.
Last professionally reviewed: 4 September 2026