Physical-Knowledge Activities: Play Before the Differentiation of Knowledge into Subjects

Abstract

Four examples of physical-knowledge activities are described and analyzed on the basis of Piaget’s theory. These are playful activities like Pick-Up Sticks in which children act on objects mentally and physically to produce a desired effect.

The objective of physical-knowledge activities is to develop children’s logico-mathematical knowledge. Therefore, it is not the activities themselves that are important. What is important is the thinking children do while they play because it is by thinking that children construct logico-mathematical knowledge, and logico-mathematical knowledge serves as the framework for children to construct all knowledge.

Data are presented about the achievement in mathematics of two groups of low-SES first graders who came to school without any number concepts. One group was given physical-knowledge activities during the math hour for half a year instead of math lessons. The other group received traditional math instruction throughout the year. The first group did better in mental arithmetic at the end of the school year, demonstrating the importance of a solid logico-mathematical foundation.

Citation

Kamii, C. (2014), "Physical-Knowledge Activities: Play Before the Differentiation of Knowledge into Subjects", Learning Across the Early Childhood Curriculum (Advances in Early Education and Day Care, Vol. 17), Emerald Group Publishing Limited, Leeds, pp. 57-72. https://doi.org/10.1108/S0270-4021(2013)0000017007