Discover the numerous benefits of play-based learning in early education and the important role it plays in children’s social, emotional, physical, and academic development. This comprehensive blog post uses recent research to show why this is the most effective way to teach young children.

Play-based learning has numerous benefits. It has an important role in early childhood education. A play-based program understands the importance of play in a child's development. It is a child-centred, age-appropriate pedagogy that fosters creativity, social interaction, academic skills, and critical thinking skills.

As a play-based teacher with over 20 years of experience, I have seen firsthand the benefits of this approach. Children are engaged and reach curriculum benchmarks.

Because play based learning is child-centred, it focuses on the child's interests and needs. Children learn best when they are engaged in activities that are meaningful and relevant to them. An effective play-based learning program is not a free-for-all or choose-your-own-adventure!

Yes, there is a place for free play, but if you want your students to meet the mandated curriculum benchmarks, you must find that happy balance between structured playful activities, explicit teaching lessons, and open-ended free play.

It's not difficult. It's highly effective, and it is hands-down the best way to teach!

What is Play-Based Learning?

Play-based learning is an approach to education that offers students different types of playful activities and experiences in the classroom. It is an age-appropriate, child-centred approach that focuses on learning through purposeful play.

Through play, children can develop their cognitive, social, emotional, and physical skills. Play-based learning is often used in early childhood education, but it can be implemented in all grade levels.

According to Care for Kids, play-based learning involves the following elements:

Self-direction: The child chooses what they play and how they play.
Adults can supervise, accompany, or potentially suggest ideas, but the child decides the rest.
Open-ended play: The child has the freedom to explore and experiment with different materials and activities without predetermined outcomes.
Playful learning: The child can learn through play, which is more engaging and meaningful than traditional teaching methods.

Types of Play-Based Activities in the Classroom

There are many different ways children can play. Some of the different types of play you can plan for and implement in a play-based learning environment include:

Imaginative Play: This type of play involves children using their imagination to create pretend play scenarios and stories. It can involve dramatic play role play, small world set-ups, puppets and storytelling.
Constructive Play: This type of play has children using materials to build and create. It can involve building with blocks, creating with art supplies, and constructing with manipulatives like loose parts.
Explorative Play: In this type of play, children will investigate and explore the properties of things in their environment. Water play, magnets and sand play are popular activities for this type of play.
Physical Play: There are two types of physical play. Large-motor and fine-motor play. Large-motor play involves children using their bodies to move, run, and play. It usually happens outdoors. Fine-motor play involves the small muscles and is commonly seen in indoor play experiences like bead threading, cutting with scissors, and my favourite – playdough! Fine motor play develops dexterity and hand-eye coordination.
Sensory Play: This type of play is a natural way for children to learn. Children learn everything through their senses. Sensory play is also useful for emotional development. It helps students to be calm and provides a safe emotional outlet.
Language and Communication Play: This type of play involves children playing with sounds, words, and gestures. It includes children playing with rhymes and songs or playing charades and telling jokes.
Games with Rules: This type of play involves children playing games with specific rules. It often includes board games, card games, and team sports.
Mastery Play: In this type of play children are focused on mastering a particular skill. You will see children repeating an action in their play over and over, persevering until they master it.

Play-Based Learning vs Direct Instruction

Play-based learning is often contrasted with direct instruction, which is a more traditional approach to education.

Direct instruction involves the teacher giving explicit instruction and guidance to the students. It is structured and planned by the teacher.

Play-based learning, on the other hand, involves the students taking an active role in their own learning. It is open ended and child led.

Direct instruction definitely has a place in any curriculum orientated play based classroom. It is essential for teaching specific skills and knowledge.

I might be biased but play-based learning has many more benefits. Play-based learning can help children develop problem-solving skills, creativity, and critical thinking skills as well as develop social skills, like cooperation and communication. Play based learning can also consolidate curriculum learning intentions.

A Word on Unstructured Play

The American Psychological Association suggests unstructured play is essential for children's physical, emotional, mental, and social development, fostering resilience, creativity, and peer engagement.

This type of active play is not organised or directed by adults. It includes active outdoor play and sometimes risky play. Unstructured play has many benefits for children. it builds healthy bodies, increases motivation and energy, and reduces tension.

In school, outdoor play during lunch breaks is when you would most likely see unstructured play. It is essential children have opportunities to take the lead in their play activities to help build autonomy and creativity.

Play Increases Engagement and Autonomy

A major benefit of play-based learning is how it increases student engagement. This pedagogy uses children's innate curiosity to design learning experiences that are purposeful and naturally aligned with children’s interests and developmental levels. Their learning becomes relevant, and they construct meaning through hands-on and interactive activities.

Another benefit of play-based learning is how it fosters a sense of accomplishment. It empowers students. Children are encouraged to embrace their unique learning styles without the constraints of rigid structures or predetermined outcomes.

In play, children are free to experiment, make mistakes, and learn without fear of judgment. This builds a growth mindset, where challenges are viewed as opportunities for growth rather than obstacles to success.

The concept of 'right' or 'wrong' takes a backseat to the process of exploration and discovery. Instead of focusing on correct answers or predetermined solutions, children are encouraged to think critically, problem-solve, and express themselves creatively. This shift in perspective not only promotes a deeper understanding of concepts but also nurtures a sense of autonomy and self-worth among learners.

I have seen children engage more deeply with the content during our play based investigation time. They also develop essential skills like collaboration, communication, and resilience.

Play based learning empowers students to become confident, self-directed learners.

The Importance of Play in Child Development

There is plenty of research backing up play-based learning as an essential part of a child's development. A recent (2022) research article: Learning Through Play at School – A Framework for Policy and Practice, outlines how children enhance various aspects of their development, including cognitive, physical, language, and creativity skills, as well as social and emotional growth, and creative and physical abilities through play-based learning in school.

It states: Evidence reviewed by Parker and Thomsen (2019) suggested that playful pedagogies can be more effective in fostering social, emotional, physical, cognitive and creative skills than “traditional” or more “highly guided” pedagogical approaches used in the primary school classroom. Studies measured the achievement and/or growth demonstrated by students learning under a more playful condition, with the results of students learning under a less-playful condition. The types of positive impact presented included:

learning gains sustained over time (DeanJr., and Kuhn, 2007)
skills transfer to novel problems (Purpura et al., 2016)
more accurate recall of knowledge gained (Castano, 2008)
deeper understanding of concepts (Burke and Williams, 2012)
making better connections between concepts (Castano, 2008)

As a teacher, you probably already know how play is such an important part of a child's development. After all, we learned at uni how play is a crucial aspect of every child's growth and learning. For this reason, play-based learning is widely recognised as an effective way to support children's development across various domains.

Well, that’s what they told us at university. When you get out into the classrooms and schools, play is not always seen by those in charge as the best way for children to learn. Is it research-backed they say. Is it best practice they say.

Yes! Yes, it is I say.

Cognitive Development Through Play

Through play, children learn to think creatively, problem solve, and develop critical thinking skills.

Many cognitive developmental skills are supported through play-based learning. Just to name a few, children can learn to categorise and classify objects, understand cause-and-effect relationships, and develop spatial awareness.

According to Starting Blocks, play-based learning can also help children develop their memory and concentration skills.

When using a play based learning pedagogy, your students will be working at their level of cognitive development. Every child will be met with learning opportunities that reflect and cater to their individual developmental needs and cognitive skills.

The Role of Play in Developing Critical Thinking

Play-based learning is an effective way to develop critical thinking skills in children. Critical thinking is the ability to analyse, evaluate, and synthesize information to make informed decisions. It is an essential skill that children need to succeed in school and in life.

Problem Solving Skills Developed Through Play

One of the key benefits of play-based learning is that it helps children develop important skills like problem-solving. Play allows children to explore, experiment, and take risks in a safe and supportive environment.

Through play, children learn to identify problems, come up with solutions, and test their ideas.

For example, building with blocks helps children develop spatial awareness and also problem-solving skills. They learn to plan, design, and construct structures, and to think critically about how to make them more stable and functional. Playing with puzzles, tinkering, or creating a collage also helps children develop problem-solving skills, as they learn to identify patterns, make connections, and find solutions.

Encouraging Inquiry and Curiosity

Play-based learning also encourages inquiry and curiosity, which are essential components of critical thinking. When children play, they ask questions, make observations, and test their ideas. They learn to think creatively and to approach problems from different angles.

For example, playing with water and sand allows children to explore the properties of different materials and to experiment with cause and effect. They learn to make predictions, test hypotheses, and draw conclusions based on their observations.

Play based learning gives children the opportunity to solve problems and develop higher order thinking skills.

Using open ended questions to provoke thought and investigation is a great way to ensure students develop critical thinking skills while they play. You can read more about how to do this here: Open-ended Questions Promote Higher Order Thinking.

By providing children with opportunities to play and explore and through thoughtful interactions, we can help our students develop the critical thinking skills they need to succeed in school and in life.

Creativity and Imagination in Play-Based Learning

Play-based learning is an effective way to promote creativity and imagination in young children. By engaging in imaginative or dramatic play, children can develop their cognitive, social, emotional, and physical skills.

Through imaginative play, children are actively constructing and refining mental models of the world around them. They learn collaboration, negotiation, and empathy as they engage in role-playing scenarios or cooperative games. This type of play teaches children how to navigate social dynamics, understand different perspectives, and develop interpersonal skills crucial for building meaningful relationships.

Emotionally, imaginative play offers a safe space for children to explore and express their feelings. Whether they're acting out scenarios that reflect their own experiences or experimenting with different emotions in fictional contexts, play allows them to process and regulate their emotions in a supportive environment.

Physically, most play-based activities encourage movement, coordination, and spatial awareness. Students will develop and refine fine and gross motor skills through imaginative or pretend play.

Perhaps the most important benefit of imaginative play is that children will not only learn about the world but will also discover themselves.

Physical and Motor Skills Supported in Play

As already mentioned, play-based learning supports physical development – both gross motor and fine motor skills. Activities like building with blocks, playing with playdough, and drawing can help children develop their hand-eye coordination, dexterity, and grip strength.

According to Guardian Early Learning, play-based learning also helps children develop gross motor skills like balance and coordination. Outdoor play activities like running, jumping, and climbing are a great way to develop these skills.

Play Supports Language Development and Communication

Play-based learning also supports language and communication skills. Oral language is a focus area of the early years curriculum. It underpins all aspects of learning. The best way to promote it is to provide children with rich opportunities for conversations and discussions.

Through play, children have numerous opportunities for social interactions that develop their vocabulary, allow them to practice their listening and speaking skills, and learn to express themselves effectively.

Activities like storytelling, role-playing, and singing can all support language and communication growth.

Social and Emotional Benefits of Play

According to Raising Children Network, play-based learning helps children develop social skills, such as sharing, taking turns, and cooperating with others.

Educators often overlook the numerous benefits of play-based learning for children's social and emotional development. In this section, we will explore some of these benefits.

Fostering Social Skills and Interaction

Play-based learning provides children with an opportunity to interact with their peers and develop social skills. Through play, children learn how to take turns, share, negotiate, and communicate effectively. This helps them develop the necessary skills to form positive relationships with others in the future.

According to Startingblocks.gov.au play based learning provides opportunities for children to:

practise how to work with other children, negotiate ideas, and make choices and decisions.
develop self-confidence by experiencing success and challenges.
learn to control their emotions, reduce impulsive behaviour, or reduce stress as they act out feelings and events that might be worrying them.
develop empathy and fairness as they learn to play alongside and with other children.

Emotional Skills and Self-Regulation

Play-based learning helps children develop emotional skills and self-regulation. When children engage in play, they experience a range of emotions, such as happiness, frustration, and excitement. Through play, children learn how to express and regulate their emotions, and this in turn helps them develop emotional intelligence.

According to research on the benefits of play for the social and emotional development of children in kindergarten, play provides children with an opportunity to express their feelings and emotions, which is essential for their social-emotional development. It helps children to learn self-control, emotional regulation, communication, conflict resolution, and so much more.

One of the reasons we run our play-based investigation sessions first thing in the morning is the positive effect play has on student behaviour. It helps the children settle into the school day calmly and with purpose. Never underestimate the value of play for regulating a child and fostering emotional learning.

Building Positive Relationships

Play-based learning helps children build positive relationships with others. When children engage in play, they learn how to work together, solve problems, and support each other. This helps them develop empathy and compassion, which are essential for building positive relationships.

Play based learning in the classroom also allows children to form positive connections with adults and with peers. These relationships are crucial for their social and emotional growth.

Play-Based Learning in Early Childhood Education

Play is an essential part of a young child’s development. It allows children to explore and learn about the world around them in a way that is engaging and purposeful.

We have explored how play-based learning is a teaching approach that can be used in early education programs to foster social and emotional skills, along with physical and cognitive development.

In this section, we will explore how the benefits of play-based learning in early childhood education relates to the Australian curriculum and the role of early childhood educators implementing this curriculum through play.

Play and the Australian Curriculum

The Australian Curriculum recognizes the importance of play-based learning in early childhood development and states:

Play is an activity that is positively valued by the player, self-motivated, freely chosen, and engaging. Children actively involved in play may be engaged in a variety of activities, independently, with a partner or in a group. Play can occur indoors or outdoors. It is closely tied to the cognitive, socio-emotional, and motor development of young children, and is an important part of developmentally appropriate early years learning. Benefits of play can include persistence, negotiation, problem-solving, planning and cooperation.

The Australian Curriculum has four major components:

Curriculum content—learning area knowledge, skills and understanding.
General capabilities—sets of skills, behaviours and dispositions that apply across subject-based content.
Cross-curriculum priorities—selected because they represent key issues and opportunities relevant to the lives of young Australians now and in the future.
Achievement standards—a description of what students are typically able to understand and do at particular points in their schooling.

In Foundation – Year 2, priority in the Australian Curriculum is given to literacy and numeracy development because these are the foundations on which further learning is built. Both Literacy and Numeracy capabilities are reinforced and strengthened through learning in all areas of the curriculum: English, Mathematics, Science, Health and Physical Education, Technologies, and the Arts.

The Australian curriculum follows a standards-approach to curriculum. The content is provided within subject areas for year levels, and assessments are made against the achievement of the standards.

The pressures of standardised testing, academic programs, and the introduction of formalised blocks of teacher instruction in many schools have increased the challenge for teachers to implement a play-based curriculum - but it is possible.

The Australian curriculum builds on the key learning outcomes of the national Early Years Learning Framework (EYLF). This framework is structured around three themes: belonging, being and becoming. The EYLF strongly supports a play based pedagogy.

The Australian curriculum and the EYLF promote different educational components. The EYLF advocates for a thoughtful and intentional play based approach. It helps educators understand how to teach, whereas the Australian curriculum explains the what – the content we must teach.

It is possible to marry the two and teach the Australian curriculum through play.

If you would like to learn exactly how I teach the curriculum through play, this blog post: How to Start with Play Based Learning can help you. It has some practical play based learning examples you can use in your classroom and some tips on how you can easily get started with learning through play in your classroom.

Role of Educators in Play-Based Environments

Educators play a critical role in any play based learning classroom. They not only design and create the learning environment, but they also plan and implement the learning experiences offered.

They must provide a safe and supportive environment that encourages exploration, creativity, and curiosity. Educators must also be skilled in observing and understanding children's play in order to further support their learning and development.

In a play-based learning environment, educators facilitate learning by providing open-ended materials and activities that align with the needs of the child. The learning invitations offered should also meet curriculum learning intentions in a way that is developmentally appropriate.

It’s all about giving children an opportunity to explore and experiment with the curriculum at their developmental level.

Teachers must also provide opportunities for children to engage in social play, which helps to develop their social skills and emotional development. By encouraging children to work together, educators can help students develop their communication and collaboration skills.

Wondering if you have what it takes to be a play based teacher? Find out in this blog post: How to Be a Successful Play-Based Kindergarten Teacher. It explains the essential traits of a successful play-based kindergarten teacher and offers practical advice and ideas to help you succeed in implementing a play-based learning pedagogy.

Implementing Play-Based Learning in the Classroom

Successfully implementing play-based learning in a standards-based curriculum is about balancing playful learning experiences with academic learning outcomes. To ensure we foster the benefits of play based learning and nurture the children's academic, social, and emotional development, we must pay close attention to how we deliver the curriculum.

Balancing Playful Learning with Academic Learning Outcomes

Play-based learning activities can be used to achieve academic learning outcomes. I know because I have done it year after year.

One essential step to making it work is finding a balance between playful learning experiences (open-ended investigation time) and academic learning outcomes (explicit teaching lessons).

The Australian curriculum provides us with our academic guidelines and standards-based assessments. This curriculum is mandated and must be covered. How you do that is at the teacher’s discretion.

The Reggio Emilia Approach and the Walker Learning Approach are examples of play-based learning approaches that balance playful learning with academic learning outcomes.

In the white paper: Learning through play at school, experts have established that learning through play supports the development of early literacy and numeracy skills through an integrated approach. The authors identify eight pedagogical approaches, which combine child-directed, teacher-guided, and teacher-directed learning that align with the characteristics of playful learning experiences.

Active learning is an approach where learners are actively involved in the learning process and have a choice regarding their learning experiences. It uses hands-on, authentic, real-world related activities with teachers being facilitators rather than instructors.
Cooperative and collaborative learning are approaches designed by grouping children together to complete a collaborative assignment or task.
Experiential learning places value on meaningful learning experiences based on the student’s own interests. A structured and planned environment is the key to the successful implementation of this approach coined by John Dewey.
Guided discovery learning is attributed to Jerome Bruner (1961). He proposed that it is through a process of discovery that learners will develop a sense of ownership over their own learning. Teacher guidance is critical for this approach to be successful.
Inquiry-based learning involves organising a unit of work around relevant, authentic, open-ended questions. This approach is promoted by organisations such as International Baccalaureate. As with discovery learning, the amount and type of guidance is key.
Problem-based learning involves structuring an integrative learning unit around a central question, problem, or project. This approach requires structure and knowledgeable teacher guidance to be successful.
Project-based learning uses a project to deliver the curriculum. Teachers need the time and resources to administer, plan, and manage classroom projects for this approach to work.
Montessori education is characterised by hands-on experiential learning, group and pair work, self-directed learning with teacher guidance, and a lack of competition and extrinsic rewards or punishments. Montessori is more effective when delivery adheres to the core Montessori principles.

Classroom and Curriculum Design for Maximum Play-Based Program Benefits

The way you set up the classroom and design the curriculum are important considerations. To maximize the benefits of play-based learning, both the classroom and the curriculum should be designed to meet children's needs and interests.

They should also be flexible and responsive to children's changing interests and needs.

The classroom design and curriculum must also consider and support children's social and emotional development.

Balancing playful learning with academic learning outcomes is an essential aspect of beneficial play-based programs. For it all to work, educators must have a sound knowledge of the curriculum, child development, and play based learning theories.

I like to design my classroom around ten essential curriculum investigation areas. Learn all about these ten play based spaces and how to set them up here in this blog post: The 10 Essential Areas of A Play Based Classroom

For optimal results, let's explore some recommended play based teaching strategies for designing your classroom environment and planning your curriculum activities.

The Benefits of Loose Parts Play

One effective strategy for maximising the benefits of a play-based classroom is to use open-ended resources like loose parts when setting up group activities and engaging invitations to play.

Using loose parts in your play based classroom will have your students developing valuable skills across the whole curriculum – in literacy, numeracy, art, science, and more. So many learning intentions can be developed and practised by children through loose parts play.

When children work and play with loose parts, they observe, enquire, investigate, construct, deconstruct, and engage with others and the world around them. Loose parts allow children to apply their learning and are great for extending learning as well.

You can learn all about the magic of loose parts and how to best use them in your classroom here in this blog post: Loose Parts Invitation to Play - How to Set up an Inspiring Loose Parts Invitation to Play

The Benefits of Imaginative Play

Imaginative or dramatic play allows children to explore and experiment with different roles and scenarios. Students can act out different characters, situations, and stories, which helps them to develop their imagination and creativity.

Pretend or imaginative play also provides children with opportunities to practice their social and emotional skills. They learn to communicate, collaborate, negotiate, and empathise with others These essential skills build positive relationships and help to develop emotional intelligence.

Kathy Walker, in her book Early Childhood Matters - (affiliate link), says when a child is engaged in creative dramatic play, neural growth factors are released in the brain. A child will practise the skills and behaviours being modelled and scaffolded by adults in their world. In addition, when they are involved in creative play with others, they need to think, plan and communicate ideas, negotiate roles, follow rules, react and respond to changes, control their impulses and remember their roles. All these opportunities provide a real and rich opportunity to develop and extend all of their executive functioning skills.

By providing children with opportunities for pretend and imaginative play, educators can help them develop their creativity and imagination. They can also promote a love for learning, resilience, and lifelong skills that are essential for future success.

The Benefits of Block Play

Block play is another strategy used by most play based teachers interested wanting to maximise the benefits of playful learning in the classroom. Playing with blocks offers many tremendous benefits to young children.

Some of these include increased engagement, developing problem-solving skills, concentration, perseverance, and determination. Block play also fine tunes motor skills, and develops hand-eye coordination and social skills too. On top of all these benefits, playing with blocks teaches children vital scientific and mathematical skills.

Want to learn more about block play and all the benefits? Check out this comprehensive blog post: Benefit of Block Play in Preschool and Beyond

The Benefits of Science and a Nature Table

Offering a science area or nature table for children to explore has many benefits. Through scientific investigations, children will develop oral language, fine motor skills, and hand-eye coordination as well as opportunities to consolidate scientific skills and the science curriculum learning intentions.

Teaching science and scientific inquiry skills in a play based classroom happens naturally and is one of the major benefits of play based learning. You can discover how this pedagogy and science education go hand-in-hand in this blog post: Teaching Science in a Play Based Classroom

This blog post explains in detail how I use play based learning to teach the entire early years ACARA science curriculum and it also has some easy play based science ideas you can use in your classroom.

The Benefits of Tinkering

Tinkering is a hands-on activity where children can explore, experiment, and invent with authentic tools. If you have children interested in how things work, they will love tinkering.

Some of the benefits of tinkering include the development of fine motor skills and problem solving. It can also positively impact peer relationships, oral language, and social skills.

Through tinkering, students are engaged in open-ended experiences that allow them to question, design, collaborate, and construct knowledge as they go. It promotes active engagement in scientific and engineering practices and also gives the learner an opportunity to take part in multiple cycles of design and discovery.

The long-term benefits of tinkering are remarkable, says Katy Scott, Education Technology Specialist at the Monterey Bay Aquarium in California. In many ways, tinkering resembles inquiry-based learning, cooperative learning, and project-based learning, all of which have been proven to have long-term positive effects on student achievement and success.

Learn more about tinkering and how to set up a tinkering area in your classroom by reading this blog post: Setting Up A Tinkering Space.

The Benefits of Sensory Play

A professional learning paper published by Early Childhood Australia found sensory play has a significant impact on children's learning.

It states: Our senses are incredibly powerful tools to help us learn and grow. We can never ignore this in-built natural teacher! When we gather information using our senses and allow them to guide us, we are using our sensory pathways. These pathways have direct access to the strongest and most lasting parts of our memory (Stierwalt, 2020). As such, we should consider how to engage children’s senses when thinking about the types of play and programs to offer them.

It also says that a multi-sensory approach supports full and engaging play opportunities for all children. A major benefit of sensory play is how it supports the sensory needs of neurodiverse children of all ages.

Casey over at Little Lifelong Learners is the queen of sensory play. She has years of experience with this type of play-based learning and has even written a book full of sensory play ideas.

You should grab a copy of her book: Sensory Play (affiliate link) if you are looking for simple ideas to incorporate this calming and extremely beneficial play in your classroom.

The Benefits of Art and Collage

You can call it an Atelier, a Makerspace, a Box Construction Area, or even a Collage Table or Creation Station. It doesn’t matter what you call it just as long as you have a dedicated classroom space where your children can develop their creativity and thinking skills through art.

Including art and collage activities, as well as setting up an atelier or maker space has several benefits in a play-based classroom:

Art activities encourage children to express themselves freely and develops creativity and imagination.
Art and collage require precise hand movements, which can help children develop their fine motor skills. Cutting, pasting, and manipulating materials all contribute to hand-eye coordination and dexterity.
Art activities often involve a variety of sensory experiences, such as exploring different textures and colours which stimulates children's senses and can have therapeutic benefits.
When creating art, children are presented with opportunities to make decisions, solve problems, and experiment with different techniques. This process encourages critical thinking skills and fosters a sense of autonomy, independence and self-worth.
Art is a therapeutic outlet. It can help children to express and process their emotions. Engaging in creative activities can help children manage stress, anxiety, and other challenging emotions by providing a means of self-expression and reflection.
Art activities also provide opportunities for children to verbally describe their creations, share their ideas with others, and engage in meaningful conversations. All these oral language opportunities are important for teaching effective communication and social skills.
Through art experiences, children can develop an appreciation for beauty and even cultural diversity. If they learn about different art forms, styles, and cultural techniques it can broaden their perspectives and foster cultural awareness.

Want more details about these amazing benefits or tips on setting up the perfect makerspace in your classroom? Make sure to check out this blog post: The Benefits of a Classroom Maker Space

Setting up a makerspace, an atelier, or an art studio (whatever🤷‍♀️) will enrich your play based classroom environment. These types of creative areas help to create a welcoming and inclusive environment. Art is the perfect medium for safe self-expression and for nurturing children's innate creativity and curiosity.

Promoting Collaboration in Learning Environments

To promote collaboration and cooperative play in your learning environment, consider your classroom environment as a teacher and purposefully design it with social skills and communication in mind.

I have written a blog post all about the environment as a teacher. This blog post discusses the concept of the classroom environment as the third teacher. A concept from the Reggio Emilia Approach to teaching. I encourage you to read my blog post: Environment as the Third Teacher if you are interested in the characteristics of a Reggio-inspired environment and how it can be designed as another teacher in your classroom.

By purposefully setting up intentional play-based learning invitations in your classroom, the learning environment can become a space that not only aligns with the child's developmental stage, reinforces your curriculum learning intentions, but also invites students to work together to extend their learning.

If you would like to create a collaborative play based learning environment that enhances student engagement and promotes academic success, I have another blog post to help you: Creating an Effective Play Based Learning Environment. In this blog post, there are eight proven strategies that will help you transform your classroom into an effective and inspiring space for learning.

When designing investigation areas to promote collaboration, think about creating small intimate spaces that invite conversations. In a smaller space designed for two or three children to work, students can choose to work independently, in parallel play, or in collaboration with a friend.

Small spaces also help to control noise levels.

Recent Research on Play-Based Learning Benefits

Play-based learning has been gaining popularity in recent years, and for good reason. Research has shown that play-based learning can have numerous benefits for children, both in the short-term and long-term.

In this section, we will explore some of the latest research on play-based learning, including evidence of long-term benefits and learning approaches for literacy and numeracy outcomes.

According to a study by the American Academy of Pediatrics, play-based learning can have significant long-term benefits for children. The study found that children who engage in play-based learning are more likely to develop strong problem-solving skills, creativity, and social-emotional skills. These skills can have a positive impact on a child's academic and personal success later in life.

A review article on the effects of play-based learning on early childhood education and development found the benefits of play-based learning outweigh more traditional methods of teaching. Work and learning done through play are seen to be more meaningful and even have physical and mental health benefits.

Play-based learning can also improve a child's memory and attention span. The review article found that children who engaged in play-based learning activities had better memory recall and were able to sustain their attention for longer periods.

Play-based learning has been shown to foster higher levels of motivation and engagement in children compared to traditional learning activities. Through play, children are naturally motivated to explore, experiment, and learn and this leads to increased engagement with the material and a deeper understanding of concepts.

This is because play allows children to learn in a context that is meaningful and enjoyable to them and that naturally makes the learning process more engaging and effective.

Numerous studies have found that play based programs significantly increase creativity and critical thinking skills.

Through play, children engage in imaginative and exploratory activities that encourage them to think creatively, solve problems, and think critically about the world around them. Play-based learning environments provide opportunities for children to experiment, take risks, and make decisions, all of which are essential for developing creativity and critical thinking skills.

A study, published in the International Journal of Education and Practice, compared the academic achievement of children who engaged in play-based learning with those who engaged in traditional learning. The study found that preschool children who engaged in play-based learning had higher levels of academic achievement in reading, writing, and math than children who engaged in traditional learning.

A study from Frontiers in Psychology shows that play is a powerful means of enhancing learning, executive function, and brain development. Executive functioning skills are crucial for regulating and adapting behaviour and include skills like focus, attention, and working memory. Intentional play sure does have a crucial role in early childhood education.

The findings from this study on Exploring the Possible Benefits of Play-Based Pedagogy on Language and Literacy Learning concluded using a play-based approach alongside systematic direct instruction may be the best way to support the literacy learning needs for kindergarten students. Children in a play-based classroom had greater literacy learning gains according to this research.

It suggests: with the significant impacts of purposeful play detected in the current study along with prior supporting research for purposeful play, kindergarten teachers should consider infusing play-based pedagogy into their daily routines.

There’s plenty of recent research showing the many benefits of play-based learning. It’s pretty clear that this pedagogy is a valuable approach to early childhood education.

Implementing Effective Play-Based Strategies

When it comes to play-based learning, it's important to have effective strategies in place to ensure you gain the maximum benefits play based learning has to offer. Effective strategies will also keep children engaged and learning.

Designing Engaging Play-Based Activities

The key to designing educational and engaging play-based activities is to make sure that they are linked to your curriculum learning intentions and your students’ interests and needs. This means that you need to have a comprehensive understanding of your curriculum, student interests, play theory, and child development.

Use this knowledge to inform your planning so you choose activities that are appropriate for your students.

Thoughtfully designed learning invitations will allow children to explore and discover at their own pace.

For example, you might provide a selection of loose parts for children to create patterns, to count and sort or to create transient art. The children should have a choice over how they use these materials. You can read more about how to set up engaging and purposeful learning invitations here: 3 Steps to Setting Up a Learning Provocation.

Using Play-Based Activities in Explicit Teaching Lessons

Another effective strategy I use consistently in my classroom is to incorporate play and hands-on learning activities in whole class and small group instruction. For example, you can use games to teach math concepts, set up experiments in science, offer STEM activities, or use puppets and small world play to help children develop their language skills.

Assessment and Evaluation in Play-Based Settings

Assessment and evaluation are important parts of any learning environment, and play-based settings are no different. With a little tweaking you can use assessment and evaluation strategies that are appropriate for the play-based approach.

One effective strategy is to use your observations to assess children's learning. This means watching children as they play and taking note of what they are doing, saying, and learning. You might also like to take photos or videos to document their progress.

I have designed an observation checklist I use to document my play and investigation observations and you can get it for free. This checklist is my primary tool for assessing and recording our play based investigation sessions. I also use it to inform my planning. I wouldn’t be without it.

Misconceptions About Play-Based Education

One common misconception about play-based learning is that it is not as rigorous or academic as traditional classroom instruction. However, research has shown that play-based learning can be just as effective, if not more so, than traditional instruction.

In fact, play-based learning can help children develop critical thinking skills and problem-solving abilities that are essential for success in the 21st century.

Another misconception is that play-based learning is only appropriate for young children. While it is true that play-based learning is particularly effective for young children, it can also be beneficial for older children and even adults.

Play-based learning helps learners of all ages develop creativity, curiosity, and a love of learning.

Frequently Asked Questions About Play Based Learning

How does play-based learning support early childhood development?

Play-based learning is a developmentally appropriate approach to learning that supports early childhood development in many ways. It allows children to learn through exploration, experimentation, and discovery, which helps them build a strong foundation of knowledge and skills. Play-based learning also supports the development of fine and gross motor skills, as well as cognitive, social, and emotional skills.

What are the cognitive benefits of play-based learning?

Play-based learning has been shown to have many cognitive advantages for young children. It helps them develop problem-solving, creativity, and critical thinking skills. It also helps them develop their language and communication skills, as well as their ability to think abstractly and understand complex concepts. When they learn through play, children can develop a positive attitude towards learning that will stay with them throughout their lives.

In what ways does play-based learning contribute to a child's social and emotional growth?

Play-based learning allows children to learn about themselves and others in a safe and supportive environment. It helps them to develop empathy, self-regulation, and social skills such as cooperation, negotiation, and conflict resolution. Play-based education also helps children to develop a sense of self-worth and self-confidence, which is essential for their emotional growth.

Can play-based learning enhance language and communication skills in young children?

Yes, play-based learning can enhance oral language and communication skills in young children. By engaging in play-based activities, children have the opportunity to develop their vocabulary, grammar, and pronunciation. They also learn to listen and express themselves. Both are essential for effective communication.

What role does play-based learning have in fostering critical and creative thinking?

Play-based learning is an excellent way to foster creativity and critical thinking in young children. It allows them to use their imaginations to come up with new ideas. It also encourages them to think outside the box and develop innovative solutions to problems. Play-based education develops the skills and confidence children need to be creative and critical thinkers.

How is play-based learning implemented within the Early Years Learning Framework (EYLF)?

The Early Years Learning Framework (EYLF) is a national framework that outlines the key outcomes and principles for early childhood education in Australia. Play-based learning is a fundamental component of the EYLF, and it is implemented in various ways. Teachers and educators use play-based activities to support children's learning across all areas of development, including social, emotional, cognitive, and physical development. They also use play-based learning to create a positive and engaging learning environment that fosters children's love of learning.

If you are interested in implementing an engaging play-based curriculum that also has your students meeting academic standards and benchmarks, you will want to download my FREE Guide to Play Based Learning.

In this guide, you'll find:

Insights into a typical day in our play-based classroom
Proven routines and procedures for success
Strategies for teacher observations and documentation
Inspiring learning invitations to spark curiosity
Clear learning intentions to guide your lessons
The 10 essential investigation areas for comprehensive learning
Classroom photos showcasing play-based investigation areas and learning provocations
Ideas for enhancing your centers and investigation areas
PLUS a bonus section on the power of Loose Parts Play

There are 46 pages packed with ideas, tips, and actionable information to help you teach through play.

There's no better approach to teaching young children. The enormous benefits of play based learning in early education make this approach impossible to ignore.

Benefits of Play Based Learning in Early Education