13. Children’s Emerging Play and Experience in the Covid-19 Era

Abstract

This chapter examines diverse distance education strategies used in Korean early childhood education and care (ECEC). Focused on the Covid-19 situation in the South Korean educational context, it introduces how Korean teachers and parents made an effort to promote and provide opportunities for children’s play. Examples of this include teachers sending ‘A Package for Play’, using education portals and providing distance education through media (e.g. real-time interactive learning via Zoom and content-based learning via TV programmes). This chapter also analyzes how young children, teachers, parents and educational cultures were changed as they faced the challenges of Covid-19 in South Korea. Lockdowns and school closures offered young children an opportunity to realize the importance of their friends in their play. Some Korean parents’ perception of distance education changed from one of anxiety and pressure to a chance to better understand their children and ECEC. For Korean teachers, it was an opportunity to try creative new teaching methods and support for play in ECEC settings. The Korean cases in this chapter will give an insightful perspective into diverse educational resilience, educational possibilities and implications in the Covid-19 era.