Teachers tend to separate play and learning, even though many believe children learn best through play

paulette vrable

Teachers, it’s time to put down the worksheets and lecture notes in favor of having meaningful interactions where children lead their own learning.

First things first, what is play-based learning?
When some people hear the term play-based learning, they think of early childhood settings, but the principles of learning through play can be applied across subjects and age groups. Play is a child's first language; it is how they build strong relationships, express themselves, and explore and interact with the world around them. When children engage in play-based learning, you can see the learning taking place as they participate in hands-on activities that allow them to make sense of the world around them. Play provides opportunities for students to talk, negotiate, and collaborate with their fellow students. This is a planned play by the teacher where they can observe and support students as they build on their already existing knowledge.

Challenges

As with all things, teachers face some challenges when implementing play-based learning. First, learning through play requires the teacher to know each individual student. When teachers understand a student's interests and needs, developmental stage, and learning style, they can strengthen play-based learning and experiences. This is play with a purpose that engages and motivates the student.

Secondly, play sounds easy, but it is work for the teacher, as they can struggle to balance a student's exploring and creating alongside educational objectives. The challenge for the teacher is that it requires them to step in and out of a student's learning activities to support the student's individual needs and growing independence. This means that play is less structured than direct instruction and can be challenging to plan for.

Lastly, play-based learning requires teachers to trust students in a way that may be uncomfortable for them. As children explore and experiment, they take an active role in their own learning, which means they will make choices, fail, or take risks that may be difficult for adults to witness. However, this is a natural part of the learning process. By offering encouragement and guidance, teachers empower students to grapple with challenges and foster resilience and problem-solving skills, so students build confidence in their learning journey. It’s time to implement play in the classroom as a way for teachers to cultivate a lifelong love for inquiry and curiosity in children

References
Pyle, A., Poliszczuk, D., & Danniels, E. (2018). The challenges of promoting literacy integration within a play-based learning kindergarten program: Teacher perspectives and implementation. Journal of Research in Childhood Education, 32(2), 219-233. https://doi.org1080/02568543.2017.1416006
Sabin, M. (2022). Deliberately planning play. https://www.edutopia.org/article/deliberately-planning-play-learning