Preschool children play with figurines and horses at the College of Education and Human Development’s Early Learning Center.

Recognizing the value of play

Article by Jessica Henderson Photos by Kathy F. Atkinson, Ambre Alexander Payne, Maria Errico and Evan Krape March 25, 2025

UD Professor Myae Han receives national award for outstanding contributions to the field of play and child development

With the help of their stuffed animals or figurines, many toddlers and preschoolers play “teacher,” “doctor” or “firefighter,” drawing early inspiration from the careers they observe in their communities. For Myae Han, professor in University of Delaware’s College of Education and Human Development (CEHD), it was play itself that set the trajectory for her career as an early childhood education researcher and educator.

“Growing up in Korea in the 1970s and 1980s, my parents did not pressure me academically until the sixth grade, allowing me to engage in extensive free play,” said Han, who studies the relationship between play and children’s development in CEHD’s Department of Human Development and Family Sciences. “I was the ‘queen of play’ in my neighborhood. Every day, I would drop my backpack as soon as I got home and rush outside to play with the kids on my street, often playing until dark and even skipping dinner.”

Myae Han, professor in CEHD’s Department of Human Development and Family Sciences, has received the Brian Sutton-Smith Play Scholarship Award from The Association for the Study of Play.

After 25 years in the field of early childhood education, Han has now received the Brian Sutton-Smith Play Scholarship Award from The Association for the Study of Play (TASP). This award honors leaders in play research who have significantly advanced the field’s understanding of play and its importance for children’s development over the course of their career.

The value of play

Much research in early childhood education — including Han’s — has shown that free and guided play helps young children develop foundational academic, physical and socioemotional skills. Even as a child, Han recognized that she could learn valuable skills through independent play outside and games with other children.

“Play is not always easy as other people think, and it’s not frivolous,” Han said. “Like many other children, I experienced injuries, conflicts and failure during play. However, these challenges taught me resilience. One vivid memory is playing with a pogo stick — despite falling and getting hurt, I persisted until I mastered it. Through play, I developed essential life skills like persistence, concentration, strategic thinking and social adaptability. These traits continue to influence my work ethic and relationships with other people today.”

In her own scholarship, Han has focused on the relationship between play and early literacy development, the language development of dual language learners and the impact of play training on early childhood teachers. She has published widely in the field, co-editing influential books like Play and Literacy and Play and Curriculum, and has co-directed several federal- and state-funded grant projects.

Han (right) and Bahira Trask (left), CEHD professor emeritus, talk with a CEHD graduate student during the college’s 2022 Marion H. Steele Symposium.

For example, Han designed and implemented a play-based intervention funded by the U.S. Department of Education to support children’s language and literacy development as part of the federal Early Reading First project. She also developed play-based training programs for early childhood teachers in the state of Delaware, which are now offered through CEHD’s Delaware Institute for Excellence in Early Childhood (DIEEC). She has created play and literacy trainings for family child care providers in Delaware and has published practical guidance for all early childhood educators.

“Myae has made outstanding contributions to play studies, literacy, teacher education and professional learning, human development and family relations research,” said James Ewald Johnson, professor emeritus in the College of Education at Pennsylvania State University. “[The late Jim Christie, Myae’s doctoral advisor,] was very proud of her and predicted she would have a terrific future, accomplish many goals and contribute a great deal to TASP, her academic field and higher education. We all care very much for Myae and cannot think of anyone more deserving of this award.”

Han has mentored countless undergraduate and graduate students since joining the university in 2004. In addition to her teaching and advising, she developed the graduate level course, “HDFS691: Play and Human Development.” Students often describe this class as a transformative experience, noting that their perspectives on play significantly changed after taking this course.

“As my doctoral advisor and mentor, Dr. Han encouraged, facilitated and guided my play research, and she continues to do so,” said Annette Pic, CEHD alumna and DIEEC researcher. “Her willingness and enthusiasm to expand the study of play to families experiencing homelessness, [my area of research], speaks volumes about her core beliefs about the importance of play for every child. During my time as a UD graduate student, I took several of Dr. Han’s courses. Her play course was my favorite. I highly recommend it for all UD graduate students.”

Han (third from right), who also serves as HDFS graduate director, celebrates CEHD’s graduating class with college leadership and members of the Dean’s Advisory Council during CEHD’s Convocation in 2023.

The role of women in early childhood education

The news of Han’s award comes at a fortuitous time during national Women’s History Month this March. Women — who account for over 92% of childcare workers —have traditionally played a key role in caring for and educating children both in the U.S. and around the world. Recent national, collaborative efforts — like CEHD’s partnership in the National Early Care and Education Workforce Center — have worked to support the early education field, but women’s roles as caregivers and educators are often undervalued.

“Despite their vital contributions, childcare workers face numerous challenges, including low wages, financial instability, limited career advancement opportunities and concerns about overall well-being,” Han said. “Childcare is a physically and emotionally demanding profession, leading to persistent workforce shortages and high turnover rates. Addressing these issues is not just a matter of equity, but a necessary step toward strengthening early childhood education and the broader society.”

In the fall, Han also received the International Play Association’s (IPA) Doctor of Play Award from the American Association for the Child’s Right to Play, the U.S. affiliate of the IPA. This distinguished award recognizes individuals who have dedicated their lives to advocating for play and have demonstrated lifelong passion, service and commitment to advancing play in children’s lives.

To learn more about research in early childhood care, education and development, visit CEHD’s early childhood research webpage.