2 What is play-based learning
In simple terms, play-based learning is to learn while at play (Brook et al., 2014; Danniels & Pyle, 2018). Children are naturally motivated to play. During play, children inquire using their imagination to explore, experiment, discover, collaborate, improvise and create. Play-based learning is widely adopted as the foundation of early childhood education (Bubikova-Moan et al., 2019; Fleer, 2017). Research has also shown that play has a prominent place in the education of primary aged students (Nolan & Paatsch, 2017; Stagnitti et al., 2020).
Read, look, or listen
A play-based approach involves both child-initiated and teacher-supported learning. Integrated teaching approaches are adopted in play-based learning to engage students in experiences that provide opportunities (Wood, 2014). Explore some opportunities of play-based learning by clicking on the plus (+) icons in the interactive image below.
Opportunities of play-based learning experiences interactive poster
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Opportunities of play-based learning experiences – interactive image hotspots.
This interactive explains the different ways in which play-based environments create opportunities to support children in their understanding and consolidation of important learning. As you click on the hotspots, reflect on the environmental aspects, teaching interactions, and learning areas all strengthened by play-based learning.
The interactivity
The scene has clickable hotspots across the scene that describe and explain different ways integrated teaching approaches are adopted in play-based learning. The examples on each hotspot outline how to engage students in play experiences that provide learning opportunities.
Hotspot one: Exploring mathematics and science
Open-ended questions, challenges, and prompts can be directly related to mathematics to encourage students to count, compare amounts, determine how many, and identify and write numerals (Trawick-Smith et al., 2016).
Hotspot two: Communicating with others
Opportunities for communication in play are verbal, written, representative, visual, and physical. The multimodal affordances of play support children to express themselves in different ways through different resources, for instance, the labelled treasure map that is drawn in the classroom can become the basis of the game played in the playground.
Hotspot three: Asking questions
There are a diverse range of opportunities to ask questions in the play-based environment. Which often leads to questions asked by children, as the active learning space supports exploration and discovery. Questions are also asked by teachers to enrich the play.
For example, Teacher asks, “What do you think is going to happen next? How do you think we could build the roof for the cubby?”.
Hotspot four: Co-constructing knowledges
Interactions that take place during play provide a rich opportunity for children to learn from their peers. The questions that are asked, the collaborative thinking, and problem-solving, all support the co-construction of knowledges. It’s the talking, listening, and re-visiting of existing ideas that support increasing mastery.
For example, children building a cubby may plan the construction and, during the play, realise the plan requires adaption due to restrictions such as inadequate resources.
- Child 1: “We don’t have enough blocks to make a door, we’ll have to use a chair.”
- Child 2: “Let’s use a sheet instead because then we can walk through it.”
Hotspot five: Making interpretations and forming arguments based on discoveries
Play-based and inquiry learning is advocated to best foster science and technology education. As children play, the opportunities to engage in science and technology support them to develop an interest in the world around them (Campbell, Jobling & Howitt, 2021; Sliogeris & Almeida, 2017).
Outdoor play, in particular, engages students with the knowledge of the world around them, allowing them to observe and explore changes, patterns, and properties of objects.
Hotspot six: Developing resilience and self-regulation
Play-based approaches support students to develop metacognitive and self-regulatory skills. These skills are important for higher-order thinking, creativity, planning, evaluating learning, and problem-solving (Whitebread et al., 2009).
The practical nature of play provides a meaningful environment that encourages resilience through repetition, compromise, and negotiation with peers and the activity.
Hotspot seven: Building narrative and literacies
Play-based approaches provide a literacy rich environment that prompts students to explore and engage with literacy knowledge (Roskos & Christie, 2001; Stagnitti & Lewis, 2014). For example, students can be guided to write shopping lists, write signs, document their stories, record their planning, and report their findings. These artefacts can all be used as assessable documents of student learning.
Play-based approaches encourage students to investigate a concept further through multimodal resources.
Hotspot eight: Designing investigations
Play provides a springboard for active curiosity, but it also provides opportunities for teachers and students to design investigations. Opportunities emerge to identify questions, make observations, and critically reflect as the play progresses. These processes develop arguments, hypotheses, and stimuli to undertake further analysis.
Hotspot nine: Forming peer relationships
The development of relationship skills are supported by play. Play-based environments provide opportunities to collaborate, co-design, and experience a range of interactions. For example, children engaged in pretend play gain experiences through reactions, responses, and emotions. When children engage in play, they express their knowledges and insights. The children also learn to listen to the knowledges and insight of others.
