Dec 01, 2016

Play based inspirations

For the longest time, I tried to figure out what “learning through play” meant. Some thoughts that ran through my head were: Is it structured? Does it involve planning? What is the role of the teacher or adult? Are children really learning?

I have always worked for childcare programs, but none that have honored and implemented learning through play. It wasn’t until a center that I was working at suggested the idea and I started my own research and implementation that I could fully embrace it and see the long-term results of a play-based curriculum. It’s one thing to read about it and another to see it working in action.

I didn’t have the opportunity to have my kiddos experience it in the center as they were a bit older and already in the public school, so I began to implement the idea with the toddlers I was working with which allowed me to see the growth. My eyes have truly been opened to the incredible impact that learning through play makes!

It’s actually kind of magical…

The truth is that all I was doing at the center was facilitating. I didn’t have an academically rigorous program, and worksheets were a rare almost non existent exposure. Each child was learning through hands-on activities that they were interested in, and I was there to provide creative outlets, guidance, and ideas for new learning opportunities.

Perhaps one of the hardest aspects about play-based learning is that it is developed in the minds of the students and myself. We let creativity, ingenuity, and our interests be our guide.

A Peek Into Our Day

Learning activities in the classroom are designed for children to engage in independently and to meet the child’s abilities right where they are at. The activities and plans are solely based around the children’s specific needs and interests.

The schedule is predictable to provide security and routine, but it is flexible to allow for growth and creativity.


There are weeks that children may want to cut paper each day, and we are here to support that and make that available.  Some days Children may want to play in the block area for 70 minutes straight, and we are mindful of the fact that they are experiencing deeper levels of processing and understanding as we give them the opportunity to experience this. We respect that all children are natural learners, and to me that means that learning is at their core. Our very important job is to draw that out and to let the child explore and engage.

I believe that learning through play does not look one specific way. Each teacher and each classroom will exhibit it differently. It’s an experience of growth and observation. There are times that we have tried to put learning in a box, and the end result was frustration for all of us. That is the nature of learning though — it is constantly a work in progress.

What is our atmosphere?

I feel there are misconceptions about play based learning. When many people hear the term, I believe they think that it is a “free for all” with screaming and craziness.

They picture children throwing blocks, kids fighting over toys, and little ones bouncing around the classroom like a loose ball in the pinball machine.

While I have walked into classrooms where this happens, that is not play based learning. Those situations are just what they seem to be: chaos or damage control.

The best way I could describe a play based learning classroom is that they are focused. They are fully engaged in activities, experimenting with mixing liquid watercolors, lining up gems on the table, engineering a magical castle, and practicing the roles of parenthood. There are moments where the classroom is silent and also moments of great excitement. We implement large group activities, choice time, and small group with little teacher-directed instruction. We spend time in each area listening to what each child has to say and ask. There are interactions where words are not even constructed. Instead, we are glancing over the shoulder of a masterpiece in the making.

The Learning Map

Play-based learning is thought out and planned. The classroom becomes a map, and each area is a learning destination. It is designed in such a way that a child can take the lead and direct his or her own path. Of course, it can still be spontaneous. Some of the greatest moments in the classroom are created through a moment of ingenuity, usually on the child’s part. I am amazed each and every day by the children as they are usually the more creative ones who inspire our teachers.

A Scientist in the Classroom

Play-based learning involves a lot of observation. You could compare the teacher to a scientist. Teachers are observing the class and using those observations as tools. Observation is a teacher’s guide as well. It is our way of seeing what is going on behind the scenes.

At times, it gives us glimpses about children that we would have never been privileged to see had we just been the ones leading the activity. As we use observations as tools and our guide, it helps us provide more enriching ideas or materials to explore. In some instances these observations might even be telling us that a certain child is overwhelmed or overstimulated.

Observations should be regular to be effective. While the word “observation” might sound intimidating, it’s truly not. Observations take place through the lens of our camera in the classroom many times. We love to go around and snap pictures of our activities then spend time analyzing them once there is a quiet moment. Life with little ones is action packed, so those snapshots are precious with stories that we unfold. Whether a face has that golden smile or a deep gaze, they both convey important messages.


Observations can take a deeper form. If you look closely, you can find glimpses of who each child is. To know a child well includes close examination to temperament, tone of voice, body movements, and facial expressions.


Oftentimes, observing is manifested just by listening. The more we listen to children, the better we pick up on their inner thoughts, their excitement, their hesitations, their hurts, and their frustrations. My favorite place to listen is when I see children in dramatic play or while outside. Children convey a lot when they are pretending, and this is also a vital time for them to process events they have experienced, whether good or bad.

The Art of Repetition

Have you noticed how children love to practice something over and over and over again? When a child is in a mode of repetition, they are processing information and learning far more than we give them credit for. While it might be easy to disregard repetition or perhaps to find it annoying even, repetition is foundational and extremely important. For this reason, we give our classes large chunks of time to play. I believe that children learn so much more when they have periods of uninterrupted play. We certainly keep a routine with outside time and meals, so playing has to be paused, but sometimes our play spans over days even, weeks and we will keep a project in block area intact for the entire time.

What Are These Children Really Learning?

About now you probably want to know if this method really works. Are children truly absorbing information? Does a child who learns through play learn how to write her name, to count to 20, to identify colors and shapes? The answer is a resounding yes! There are variations as to when this information evidences itself, which I am sure leads some to believe that learning through play is “inferior.”

From my experience though, I find that children who learn through play process concepts at a deeper level, so when these concepts emerge, they have taken a huge leap. Their learning is in strides instead of through baby steps. They understand that the number 12 is a matter of quantity, that it is more than 10, that we have 12 pennies when we combine 9 pennies with 3 pennies. They aren’t memorizing to learn, they are learning to understand.

Now go play!

“Play is the highest form of research.” Albert Einstein


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