“Across the board, play is being displaced by a single-minded focus on teaching academic skills through direct instruction” (Nicolopoulou, 2010, np). One of the main pressures teachers feel when making the decision to do away with “play” time in school is the demand to meet rigorous content standards; however, this is also one of the main benefits to using learning centers, “play” is fun and engaging for the students. Kindergarten teachers have a special role of transitioning students into the world of formal education. Kindergarten and any of the primary grades must preform a balancing act of implementing developmentally appropriate practices and meeting content standards and curriculum demands. What teachers are beginning to see is a more didactic, academic, and content-based emphasis on education at the expense of a more child-centered, play-oriented approach (Nicolopoulou, 2010). Through intentional planning, teachers can create play-based centers that extend curriculum-learning goals, support mastery of content standards, and expand development in many crucial areas for early childhood and early elementary students.
The importance of play has long been understood in the world of psychology. According to Soviet psychologist Lev Vygotsky (1978) “a child’s greatest achievements are possible in play, achievements that will tomorrow become her basic level of real action” (Ryan, 2016, p. 4). Children themselves can tell you what they like to do best, unanimously; the answer will be play (Samuelsson & Carlsson, 2008, p.623). What children might not understand is that through play, they are learning, exploring, and making sense of the world around them.
Play-based learning is a way of systematically and intentionally using play as the vehicle for deepening cognitive (academic), emotional, social, and development. Through intentional planning, teachers design activities to support student growth in these development areas. Teacher’s plan with pedagogy of play in mind—“a systematic approach to the practice of playful learning and teaching” (Ryan, 2016, pg. 2). Play, being the key word. Almost all teaching is well planned out, but teachers who use pedagogy of play, intentionally incorporate play and play practices into their planned activities. “In playful learning, children are engaged, relaxed, and challenged—states of mind highly conducive to learning” (Ryan, 2016, pg.4). Play and children go hand-in-hand. Children themselves can tell you and express their joy towards the act of “play”. Ciolan (2012) went as far to say that, “play is an intrinsic condition for quality early childhood education”. “As Vygotsky and others have convincingly emphasized, young children’s play is not simply frivolous; it’s an intensely absorbing activity that serves as a powerful matrix for learning and development” (Nicolopoulou, 2010). According to Fesseha and Pyle (2016), “Play is a means for learning that taps into the ‘natural curiosity’ and creative energy of the student, and is accomplished by the belief that play and academic development are not mutually exclusive” (p.365). As Mr. Rogers, a well-known children’s television personality put it, “play gives children a chance to practice what they are learning”. “During childhood, the game is movement, exploration, is a learning exercise, is observation and imitation, disciplinary communication and not least, socializstion” (Mihaela, 2012). Because of the high level of engagement within play, there are many positive developmental impacts on children beyond basic academic acquisitions.
According to Project Zero, an academic research project at Harvard University, long-term academics impacts can be seen in children who attended play-based early childhood education programs (Ryan, 2016, pg. 4). “By fostering engagement and stimulating sense making, play allows leaners to build domain-related skills, content knowledge, and creative thinking” (Ryan, 2016, pg.4).“Through play, children acquire information and concepts necessary for understanding and integrating real world” (Mihaela, 2012). Preschool and Kindergarten children are in what Piaget referred to as the preoperational stage of cognitive development, symbols such as letters and numbers have very little meaning to them. Therefor, the act of play, which is usually, hands on and representative caters to their developmental needs. Through play or interactions with the intentionally planned materials and activities, children begin to make sense of the representative symbols in language and math. Play also stimulates growth in the way children think. When young children interact with their environment and observe the given reactions, they are able to develop metacognition. “From these experiences gained by playing, children acquire deep thinking, ideas and abstract concepts they will need as adults” (Mihaela, 2012).
Through play, students are able to learn social/emotional skills that are necessary to successfully function in the school environment, skills such as: self-regulation, cooperation, the ability to maintain attention, follow set rules, and social understandings (Nicolopoulou, 2010). “While playing, a child’s imagination is free, reaching personal solutions to problems that appeal to old experiences to be able to deal with new situations” (Mihaela, 2012). Through play, students are not only learning to make sense of the world around them, but also the world within them and the interaction of the themselves with the world around them. These emotional skills impact how they are able to interact with their educational environment and thus, what they are able to get out of their environment.
“In play, children communicate and interpret continuously in the negotiation with peers in role play. At the same time as they act the play, they produce the content of it by talking about what to do and in what way it should be done, that is, the metacommunicative approach children take in their play” (Samuelsson & Carlsson 2008, pg. 627). “Play, together with friends, allows children to exercise self-control and develop what they already know, take turns, cooperate, and socialize with others” (Samuelsson & Carlsson 2008, pg. 627). School is a social and collaborative environment: play in school allows children the appropriate time and context to build, expand upon and make sense of these relationships.
One fact that most can agree on is that much of play is physical and children learn by physically interacting with their world. Children develop muscle control, strength, and coordination through fine and gross motor activities. Having physical control over one’s body gives students a greater sense of control of themselves and their interactions with the greater world. When children are physically active, they are engaged. Good physical health is necessary for other areas of development and academic success.
Developmentally appropriate guidelines support play-based learning. With out the enjoyment of learning, students are “less likely to develop a love of learning and a sense of confidence and ability to make choices…” ("DAP Position Statement | NAEYC", 2017). Additionally play based learning meets the principles of child development and learning, provided by the Developmentally Appropriate Practice Position Statement (Ryans, 2009):
1. All the domains of development and learning—physical, social and emotional, and cognitive—are important, and they are closely interrelated. Children’s development and learning in one domain influence and are influenced by what takes place in other domains.
2. Many aspects of children’s learning and development follow well-documented sequences, with later abilities, skills, and knowledge building on those already acquired.
3. Development and learning proceed at varying rates from child to child, as well as at uneven rates across different areas of a child’s individual functioning.
4. Development and learning result from a dynamic and continuous interaction of biological maturation and experience.
5. Early experiences have profound effects, both cumulative and delayed, on a child’s development and learning; and optimal periods exist for certain types of development and learning to occur.
6. Development proceeds toward greater complexity, self-regulation, and symbolic or representational capacities.
7. Children develop best when they have secure, consistent relationships with responsive adults and opportunities for positive relationships with peers.
8. Development and learning occur in and are influenced by multiple social and cultural contexts.
9. Always mentally active in seeking to understand the world around them, children learn in a variety of ways; a wide range of teaching strategies and interactions are effective in supporting all these kinds of learning.
10. Play is an important vehicle for developing self-regulation as well as for promoting language, cognition, and social competence.
11. Development and learning advance when children are challenged to achieve at a level just beyond their current mastery, and also when they have many opportunities to practice newly acquired skills.
12. Children’s experiences shape their motivation and approaches to learning, such as persistence, initiative, and flexibility; in turn, these dispositions and behaviors affect their learning and development.
These developmentally appropriate principles when in place, promote a positive approach to learning.
This playful approach to learning can benefit many academic aspects in the classroom as well. Play-based learning can be naturally incorporated into the primary classroom through the use of learning centers. Learning centers give students the freedom to choose academic content areas of interest and explore them at their own free will. “Learning centers allow for developmental theory and educational practice to be integrated; the term learning center and developmentally appropriate practice are variations of the same concepts phrased slightly differently for almost 100 years” (Maurer & Myers, 1987, p.21). Through intentional planning, teachers can facilitate and extend learning opportunities during center time. Center time should be a time of free exploration where children take charge of their own learning, “it is the children who carry the activity forward, and final analysis, determine it’s content; the outcomes often depend on the sophistication of the learner” (Maurer & Myers, 1987, p.22 & 26). Planning sessions, both prepatory and with the students will drive the learning during this time. “One of the teacher’s roles is to direct children’s attention towards the learning objects they want children to develop an understanding about” (Samuelsson & Carlsson, 2008, p.632-633).
One of the main movements away from play in the classroom occurred because of the demand of rigorous content standards; however, play-based centers have the ability to support most, if not all, of the common core curriculum standards in the primary grades. For example, a dramatic play center set up as a grocery store will support standards under: reading foundational skills, writing, language, speaking and listening, counting and cardinality, measurement and data, operations and algebraic thinking, and geometry. A block center can support: geometry, measurement and data, counting and cardinality, language, speaking and listening, reading foundational skills, and even writing. “Teaching a responsive curriculum through learning centers requires knowledge, skills, and a lot of thought. It is hard work, but seeing young children vibrant and deeply involved in the process of learning is a tremendously rewarding experience” (Maurer & Myers 1987, p.27).
Through learning centers, as opposed to direct instruction, “when the teacher’s active participation is not necessary, they can spend time observing students so that better informed curriculum decisions can be made” (Maurer & Myers, 1987, p.27). Learning centers tend to be student self-directed, therefore leaving the teacher available to observe or instruct one-on-one/small groups. Not to belittle the role of the teacher, “the teacher’s role is equally important for learning and play. It is important for giving support and inspiration, for challenging and encouraging the child’s willingness and desire to continue the process of making sense of the world” (Samuelsson & Carlsson, 2008, p.638). Because learning centers do not need continuous adult supervision, the teacher is able to step back to observe, asses individual students, or work with students in one-on-one or small groups. Student progress can be tracked through the use of formal assessments or informal observations of students interacting with materials and peers. Tracking this information allows teachers to plan future learning experiences that will build upon skills they have already mastered in the curriculum.
“The ability to differentiate according to student ability is an essential component of learning in play-based programs” (Fesseha & Pyle, 2016, p.368). Learning centers and the materials in them naturally differentiate based on the children using them. Although teachers intentionally structure the activities, it is the children who carry the activity forward and determine the final learning outcome of the play-based activity, “outcomes depend on the sophistication of the learner” (Maurer & Myers, 1878, pg. 22-26); hence, students taking active, engaged, and differentiated roles in their learning.
“Making room for playful learning in school can be difficult. Formidable tensions exist between playful learning and the way teaching and learning are currently structured in most schools” (Ryan, 2016, p.2). However, “high standards, a well designed curriculum, and exemplary instruction are of limited value unless students are engaged and motivated to learn” (Ciolan, 2012). “As Vygotsky and others have convincingly emphasized, young children’s play is not simply frivolous; it is an intensely absorbing activity that serves as a powerful matrix for learning and development” (Nicolopoulou, 2010). A play-based pedagogy has the ability to support many areas within the classroom, not only academic but developmentally as well. When students are given the chance to interact and play, social development occurs. Students are able to make sense of relationships, build friendships, collaborate with peers, and contribute to social learning. Emotional development occurs—they learn self-regulation, and the importance of following rules and paying attention in a developmentally appropriate meaningful environment. Physical development occurs, much of play is physical (both fine and gross motor), student “develop strength, muscle control, coordination, reflexes, and gains in sense of their own bodies abilities and limits” (Ryan, 2016). “Play includes choice, wonder, and delight” (Ryan, 2016). “It is the playful approach and attitude that is taken to an activity, rather than play itself, which is beneficial for learning” (Mcinnes, Howard, Miles, & Crowley, 2001, p.123). “Given what we know about the importance of play for young children’s intellectual, socioemotional, and physical development, suppressing it can have genuinely harmful effects” (Nicolopoulou, 2010).