Introduction
The educational landscape is rapidly changing, with significant emphasis on the shift from rigid, traditional instruction approaches to holistic, learner-centred ones. At the core of this revolution is the growing recognition of play's impact on the learning process. Drawing on the foundations set by Harvard's Pedagogy of Play and The Lego Foundation's approach to play, this article seeks to showcase how these two methods are turning pedagogical paradigms on their heads and bridging the gap between the science of learning and the joy of play.
In this article, you will learn:
- How play revolutionises learning by engaging children holistically and fostering deeper understanding through creativity and exploration.
- The crucial role of play in enhancing cognitive development and emotional resilience, contributing to overall child development.
- Effective strategies for integrating play into educational environments to enrich learning experiences across various disciplines.
The Core Principles of Play-Based Learning
Harvard's Pedagogy of Play says that play is fundamental to human learning and development; instead of the old-school mentality that play is a time when children take a break from real learning, its advocates and those of the methods employed by The Lego Foundation say that play is an essential component of children's educational experiences. They believe children learn best in environments where they can explore, experiment, and exercise creativity. These approaches yield a deeper and more lasting understanding of the content learned by today's young people compared to the current teaching approaches.
Cognitive Development Through Play
The scientific research supporting the argument for the cognitive and emotional benefits of play is deep and wide. Experts like Gabor Maté and Bessel van der Kolk have delved into the way that play helps children develop vital emotional regulation and resilience, the absence of which can be a significant impediment to effective learning. But affective factors like these are only the beginning. Researchers have repeatedly discovered that children acquire and build their language capacity, creativity, social competence, and executive functions — the neural circuitry that manages such cognitive processes as problem-solving, planning, organisation, time management, and the ability to moderate one's emotions — through their play.
How to Incorporate Play into Educational Settings: A Practical Guide for Educators and Parents
Create a Safe and Stimulating Environment
- Educators should design and develop spaces rich with stimuli and invite children to explore and investigate. Ensure the space has physical materials that engage each child's senses and meet their learning styles.
Foster Social Interaction
- As much as possible, create an environment at school or home that encourages extended periods of unstructured play. In the context of this type of play, anything is possible, and children develop the social skill of learning how to get along.
Encourage Autonomy and Choice
- Children want and need to carve out their own space in the world and feel that what they are doing is their own. Invite children to make choices about their play and learning activities.
Integrate Play Across the Curriculum
- Use play as the medium in which children learn mathematical concepts, employ their emerging literacy skills, and demonstrate scientific principles. The more you can weave the applications of these skills into their play, the more engaging, meaningful, and learned the concept or principle becomes.
Reflect and Adapt
- As you work to apply these activities at home or in school, continue to reflect and brainstorm about how to make the approach even more vivid and vital. Observe children's play thoughtfully and thoroughly. Take notice of what excites and bores children. Use these thoughts to conceptualise how you might adjust the curriculum to meet the needs of children better overall.
Conclusion
No aspect of educational practice today is more critically needed than integrating play into the formal curriculum. Two of the most lauded methods currently are Harvard's Pedagogy of Play and The Lego Foundation's Playful Parenting, Learning, and edagogy. These two educational paradigms provide teachers and parents with the tools needed to provide the enriching experiences into which young people will learn to sink their teeth. Through play, we prepare our young people for the challenges of school and life ahead of them.
Finally, remember that when you bring the principles of play-based learning to your work as an educator or parent, you are dramatically enriching the experiences of your children or your students and catalysing their journey to becoming more creative, more resourceful and more empathetic human beings. Enjoy. Fully embrace these powerful practices and watch what happens.
A final note: consider visiting Harvard's Project Zero and The Lego Foundation websites to explore play-based learning principles further and their current application and impact.
