The Power of Play in Education: Why It Belongs in Every Classroom
- Angelina Moehlmann
- Apr 30
- 5 min read
The Power of Play: Why It Belongs in Every Classroom
For many, the idea of "play" in school might conjure images of recess or free time – something separate from "real" learning. However, a growing body of evidence and expert opinion suggests that play is not merely a break from learning, but a fundamental pathway to learning, essential for children's development and future success.
Teachers often face pressure to adhere strictly to academic standards and prepare students for testing, which can lead to prioritizing didactic methods and quantifiable achievements over playful approaches. This tension can make it challenging for educators to incorporate more play into the classroom. Yet, incorporating playful learning is not only possible but crucial for creating engaged students who truly thrive.
What is Playful Learning?
Playful learning is not simply letting children do whatever they want; it exists on a continuum. It includes free play, where children explore with minimal constraints, but also guided play and games, where adults or the environment structure activities towards specific learning goals. Essentially, learning through play at school combines playful child-directed activity with teacher or adult supported or guided learning objectives. It's about seeing children as active participants, not passive recipients, and supporting their inherent drive to explore and discover.
According to research, optimal learning through play is characterized by five key elements:
•It is joyful – experienced as pleasurable, motivating, and fun. Joy and interest are predominant emotions in play, and this positive emotion is associated with thinking skills like insight, analogy, and memory.
•It is meaningful – children can relate new experiences to what they already know, making relevant connections. Meaningful activities help children connect concepts and content to real-world applications.
•It is actively engaging – involving both "hands-on" (physical interaction) and "minds-on" (active cognitive processing) thinking. Children learn best when they play an active role in solving problems, leading to deeper conceptual understanding.
•It is iterative – allowing for experimentation, trying out possibilities, testing hypotheses, and revising ideas. Play provides a safe space for this exploratory behavior.
•It is socially interactive – involving interaction with others, whether peers or adults. Social interaction is a powerful resource for learning and development, helping children build communication and collaboration skills and understand others' perspectives.
Why the Focus on Play? The Incredible Benefits
The benefits of incorporating play into education are extensive and well-supported by research:
Holistic Skill Development: Play is fundamental for building a wide range of skills needed to thrive in the 21st century, which requires continuous re-skilling and lifelong learning. It helps children develop skills that go beyond rigid facts and figures, including cognitive skills (concentration, problem-solving, flexible thinking), physical skills (both gross and fine motor skills), emotional skills (understanding and managing emotions, self-awareness, resilience, confidence), and creative skills (imagination, inventiveness, making connections, exploring ideas). Play provides a context where these skills are woven together, creating a rich tapestry of capabilities.
.Increased Engagement: Students overwhelmingly prefer hands-on, play-based, and collaborative learning experiences. Play is a natural way for students to engage with their environment and learning. Engaged students are more likely to have a genuine interest in learning, use their knowledge in real-world situations, and be motivated to share what they learn. They are more likely to find joy in learning and be self-motivated. While only about a third of teachers and parents describe students as engaged, incorporating play can help bridge this gap, leading to better academic performance and comprehension beyond a surface level.
Enhanced Wellbeing: Play doesn't just boost academic outcomes; it also significantly improves student wellbeing. Parents believe that students more engaged in school are four times more likely to be happy and five times more likely to be confident than those who are disengaged. Play helps children navigate the ups and downs of life, build resilience, and cope with change and uncertainty.
Deeper Learning: Playful experiences are considered optimal for engaging in deeper learning. By allowing children to actively explore, experiment, and connect concepts in meaningful ways, play moves beyond shallow memorization to foster a more flexible understanding.
Preparation for the Future: In a constantly changing world, the ability to adapt, collaborate, innovate, and problem-solve is crucial. Play helps children hone these skills, preparing them for whatever the future holds.
Bringing Play into the Classroom
Incorporating more play doesn't have to be daunting. Teachers can start small and build up:
•Create Play-Based Centers: Set up dedicated areas or use bins with materials like blocks, puppets, puzzles, and games. Rotate the materials regularly and connect them to current classroom learning.
•Act Things Out: Turn stories, scientific processes, mathematical operations, or social problem-solving into active, theatrical experiences. Students love being actors and are fully engaged.
•Play with Your Students: Join in during play time. This builds bonds and community, and also allows you to scaffold learning, challenge students, and help them grow.
•Make Learning an Adventure: Frame lessons as exciting journeys or investigations rather than simple delivery of information.
•Use Hands-On Tools: Provide materials that encourage curiosity, collaboration, iteration, and problem-solving.
•Embrace the "Messiness": Understand that playful learning can be lively, sometimes loud, and may not always look like traditional quiet work. This "messiness" is often a sign of engagement, discussion, and active thinking.
Gaining Support for Playful Learning
It's understandable that some parents or administrators might question the value of play in a test-driven environment. To help them understand:
•Make Learning Visible: Document the learning happening through play using photographs, videos, work samples, and anecdotes. Share this documentation through classroom blogs, newsletters, or discussions. Clearly explain what students are learning and how you are assessing it within playful activities.
•Frame it Appropriately: Sometimes, simply changing the label can help. Calling self-selection time "exploration investigation" can help others see it as a learning time.
•Educate Stakeholders: Share information about the research-backed benefits of play for academic outcomes, skill development, and wellbeing. Administrators and teachers also need opportunities for engaging professional learning about playful approaches.
•Advocate for Play: Believe in the power of playful learning and be ready to advocate for it; it is worth fighting for.
Learning through play is a legitimate and effective methodology. It's a natural way for students to learn, and it's proven to drive better academic outcomes, attendance, future-ready skills, wellbeing, and joy in the classroom. By fostering a culture of play, educators can create engaging learning environments that benefit everyone.
Ready to make your classroom a hub of curiosity and engagement?
Join our hands-on workshop in St. Louis on July 30, 2025 to discover how you can integrate playful learning in your classroom!
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