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Our children learn and develop in all four developmental domains through play. Sometimes, it can be beneficial to choose play-based learning activities to engage in with your child that will promote learning and be fun for all!
I love watching my son play. The more he grows, the more I can just see the wheels turning in his mind as he tries to figure things out. He recently had his second birthday and he received some Sesame Street toys for his birthday. He loves to have little conversations with the toys. I cannot understand everything he is saying, but I love seeing his language skills develop as he practices using language with his toys.
Play is how young children learn. So it is vital to our children's development (in all four domains) and success that they have plenty of time to play. By providing a safe and nurturing environment for play, we are helping our children. Looking to provide a fun and educational environment in your home? Consider incorporating many opportunities to learn through play.
What is play-based learning?
Play-based learning is essentially what it sounds like: learning through play. It provides children with the opportunity to engage with the world around them. It promotes development in all four developmental domains (check out my previous post on the developmental domains!), all while children are having fun. They may not even realize they are learning!
According to the Department of Education, there are two primary types of play-based learning: Free play and guided play. Additionally, there are four sub-types of guided play: inquiry play, collaboratively designed play, playful learning, and learning through games.
Free Play
Free play is child-directed, and so they are choosing to play and how they are playing. Free play can be beneficial for all developmental domains. It is unstructured. This gives your child the opportunity to express themselves in any way they choose.
Guided Play
Guided play involves the child's teacher or grown-up playing more active roles depending on the type of guided play. Guided play can be beneficial for learning more academic skills/abilities or practicing specific developmental skills/abilities.
Inquiry Play
In inquiry play, children initiate the play. Then the grown-up engages with the child by asking questions and providing opportunities for the child to explore and learn further.
Example of Inquiry play-based learning:
Your child is playing with a play kitchen. Depending on their age, you can ask questions about the different types of foods, the colors, the shapes, their food group etc. You could then provide them with the opportunity to sort the foods and discuss how different foods fuel the human body.
Collaboratively Designed Play
The child and grow-up work together to design play-based learning. Then the child will lead the way with (similar to inquiry play) the grown-up engaging with questions and additional opportunities.
Example of collaboratively designed play-based learning:
Your child loves playing with toy trucks/cars. You and your child discuss and come up with a plan to make a part of their play area a city that the cars/trucks can drive in. You can brainstorm together what is needed to create the roads/buildings/etc.
Playful Learning
Playful learning is led by the grown-up. The grown-up will choose a skill/ability to build into play.
Example of playful learning:
You want your child to understand how money works. You set up a pretend grocery store with a cash register, so your child has to use play money to pay for different items.
Learning Through Games
The grown-up would design and select games that teach academic skills. The grown-up will explain all of the rules of this type of play.
Example of learning through games in play-based learning:
Your child is practicing addition and subtraction. You use the game UNO and most of the rules, but your child has to add two cards together or subtract two cards to match the discard pile instead of just laying one.
Why is play-based learning important?
Play-based learning is so powerful for children because play is natural for them! Play provides them with an outlet to understand their world, to problem solve, to communicate, to process emotions, and so much more.
Play-based learning is important because play:
helps develop all developmental domains.
helps children grow healthy and can help decrease the development of obesity.
reduces stress.
helps develop problem solving skills.
increases children's social-emotional capabilities
is how children process and apply their learning and understanding of the world.
can increase your child's self-esteem.
supports a positive attitude towards school and learning.
helps children discover their own interests, abilities, and limitations.
Tips for Creating a Play-Based Learning Environment
I personally think the key here is to not overthink it, trust your instincts, and remember every child and family is different. Below are some tips from My First Five Years and The Spoke to help you get started.
Minimal and Organized
Too many toys can be overwhelming for children and cause children to not play as meaningfully. You can set up a toy rotation, so rotate toys out of the playroom depending on their current interests.
It is also a good idea to organize your toys in a way that makes sense to your child, so their toys are easy to find and access.
Simple and Open-Ended Toys are Best
Often times the noisy, lights flashing, battery-operated toys are not designed for deep meaningful play. And so children lose interest relatively fast. Instead simple toys that invite children to use their imagination and use them in a variety of ways are best for learning and for holding their interest. Think simple blocks, an empty box, etc.
Create spaces for Pretend Play
Pretend play is hugely beneficial for children. They can learn and process their environment and feelings through their imagination. Create areas and have toys that encourage pretend play.
Have Books that Can Be Easily Accessed
Having books that your child is interested in and can access easily without help is one easy thing to do to develop a love of reading for children.
Have Open Areas
This will leave plenty of room for safe play that involves movement. As they develop physically, they will need plenty of space for play and movement - this is especially helpful on days you may not be able to go outside.
Make Sure the Space is Safe
Create a space with minimal safety risks. Be sure outlets are covered, shelves are fastened to the wall, toys are age-appropriate, etc. This will allow you to allow your child free play without having to constantly intervene and say "no."
Easy Play-Based Learning Activities for Home
Free play is always good for our children at home and is the easiest way to incorporate play into your home. However, if you are looking for some ideas for guided play, below are some easy activities to build skills in the developmental domains. I have chosen some easy activities that are perfect for busy families!
Note: Many activities help development in multiple domains.
Cognitive
Looking for play-based activities to boost your child's cognitive development? Check out these activities:
Put together simple puzzles.
Have your child practice measuring, scooping, or pouring in the bath or using sensory bins.
Give your child objects to sort: blocks, plastic cups, containers of different sizes, shapes, etc.
Sing songs that encourage movement or animal sounds: "Heads, Shoulders, Knees, and Toes," or "Wheels On the Bus" or "Old MacDonald"
Read with your child and ask questions
Build with blocks and/or LEGOs
Play kitchen with your child and talk throughout asking questions about the foods they are "making" and engaging with them while playing.
Hide and Seek - you can play this with a toy with infants and as they get older, the more traditional hide and seek.
Have a puppet show that requires interaction from your child
Have a tea party. Your child can have a tea party with you and with stuffies, dolls, or friends. Have a conversation while you enjoy tea time.
Social/Emotional
There are so many wonderful activities to develop social and emotional skills for our little ones. Check out some of these ideas:
Read books - there are so many amazing books that are specific to teaching social and emotional skills.
Teach them Yoga - check out these yoga cards on Teachers Pay Teachers
Try a fun sharing game from Sunny Day Family - all you need is construction paper, and a ball!
Take turns rolling a ball back and forward.
Use puppets to act out social situations or situations that result in strong feelings for your child.
Play Simon Says and Red Light, Green Light to practice listening skills
Play games as a family (I LOVE board games and so plan to build a children's game library - I will do another post on this in the future. Until then, please comment on this post if you would like any suggestions and I am happy to provide some!)
Practice observation skills - when you go places, you and your child take a very slow turn to take in everything you see and share details with each other. Find more information and other games on Understood.org.
Play Feelings Charades - write down different emotions on cards and take turns acting them out and guessing
Have a dance party - take turns following each other's moves.
Communication and Language
Pretty much any activity can become a great way to develop language if you talk through it, ask questions, and engage through language with your child during the activity. Here are some great ideas:
Read books - reading books is a great way to develop language and encourage a love of reading throughout your child's life.
Singing helps develop language and kids love it. (We have Spotify playlists for our little one and we find it is also helpful for him when he is beginning to become dysregulated (especially in the car).)
Have a dress-up box - this encourages your child to role play and you and your child can both talk and communicate as characters.
Scavenger Hunt - use images for little ones and have them find the items on the list
Play phone - kids love to have pretend conversations (My little one has three different ones and they are awesome for home, but also awesome for the car and travel because they are small and relatively quiet.)
Pretend Play - Have your child play kitchen, or house, or doctor, or insert preferred pretend play here, and all of this requires them to use expressive language
Have your child choose an object (so you cannot see it) and describe it until you guess what it is.
Playdoh - Have your child describe what they are making and ask questions.
Sorting activities - have your child sort objects by color, shape, size, etc. - Just be sure the objects are appropriate (not a choking hazard) and talk, ask questions, and give direction (as needed) throughout the sorting.
Make a plan - work with your child to make a plan for something, a trip, a weekend activity, etc.
Physical
Of course, there are so many great activities to encourage physical development. Personally, I feel the best way is to get outside and let your kids explore! I love watching my little one have free time outside. He loves to touch everything and explore his outdoor world!
For some great activities to try with your little ones, check out these ideas:
Have Tummy Time outside - put down a blanket and give your baby some fresh air.
Practice kicking, throwing, bouncing, and hitting balls.
Play Guess the Animal - have your child walk like a monkey, fly like a bird, etc. and you can guess what the animal is.
Have a dance party
Go on family walks
Let your child try learning a bike, tricycle, or scooter (we are working on teaching our little one the balance bike this summer!
Build an Obstacle course with household items (think couch cushions, chairs to weave around, etc.)
Balance Challenges - Like using their foot move a bean bag from the floor to inside a container.
Playground Games such as hopscotch, four square, tag, jump rope, etc.
Play Follow the Leader and have your child copy your movements.
Incorporating Play into Daily Routines
The best part of encouraging learning through play is that we can easily incorporate play into our daily life and routines to help our children thrive. Check out these tips below to get started!
Let your child play while you do chores
Set up a play kitchen in or next to the real kitchen, let your child play with the laundry basket, and have your child play clean while you clean. This allows you to engage with your child while they are playing next to you and get the opportunity to use their imagination and learn.
My little one loves to "help" with chores. He has a play cleaning set and vacuum. We also took a real swiffer and took out some of the middle sections so it is the perfect height for him. This way while we are cleaning, he is play cleaning. He loves and it and it makes our chores so much more enjoyable when we get to engage in his play.
Use Music
Many children love music and so anything that involves singing and maybe some silly dancing will be a blast! We have a little song we use for clean-up time and brushing our teeth and we regularly make up songs about other things. It often makes our little one smile! We also love playing toddler music in the car if he is fussing at all as it immediately makes him happier!
Tell Stories
Stories are a great way to help children process information. Plus this is easy to do pretty much anytime when you can talk: in the car, making dinner, etc. It is also a great way to help your child understand feelings, transitions, events, etc. if they hear it through the lens of storytelling.
Challenge Your Child To Creative Movement
Are you trying to get your child to the bedroom to change a diaper or to the bathroom to brush their tip (or anywhere else really), challenge them to hop on one foot, walk in slow motion, beat you there, etc.
Play Games While You Run Errands
Sometimes running errands with your children can be a lot, because they just want to play. So add play to your errands! Play games like I-Spy, challenge them to observe their surroundings and describe them in detail, tell stories while you are on the go, or challenge your child to read as many signs in the store as they can.
Ask Your Kids!
It is wild how creative and imaginative our kids are! Ask them and brainstorm with them how to add more play to your daily routine! I bet they come up with some fun ideas. Plus they will love them even more knowing they had a say.
Summary
Play is a powerful tool and a natural and fun way for children to develop and learn. There are two primary types of play-based learning, free play (100% child-directed) and guided play (some level of adult involvement). There are a number of huge benefits to both types of play-based learning such as lower stress levels, increased self-esteem, increased social/emotional capabilities, and so many other wonderful benefits.
Having a space that encourages meaningful play and giving your child plenty of opportunities to play is a great way to encourage healthy development in your children! Your play space and the toys within it should be relatively simple and encourage open play and imagination. Pretend play is hugely beneficial to all developmental domains, so toys that lead to pretend-play, role-playing, and using the imagination are a great investment.
There are so many great activity ideas if you are looking for guided play. Many are easy to incorporate into your existing routine. However, when in doubt free play both inside and out is a great way to support development as well. Remember to have fun. Our children love when we are having fun with them. Happy playing!
Remember Mama, you are doing a great job! You got this!
Sources & Resources:
Queensland Government - Play-Based Learning
Department of Education - Play-Based Learning
Edutopia - Play-Based Learning
Government of Western Australia - Play-Based Learning
My First Five Years - How to create a stimulating learning environment at home
Early Childhood Australia - How to create a learning enviornment
Raising Children - Cognitive
Raising Children - Physical
Grounds for Play - Cognitive and Social
Positive Psychology - Cognitive
We Are Teachers - Social & Emotional
Empowered Parents - Social & Emotional
Understood - Social & Emotional Learning Games
Discovery Building Sets - Language
Discovery Building Sets - Emotional/Social
Speak Play Love - Language Development
Pink Oatmeal - Physical Development Activities
Parentologist - Incorporating Play
Celebrate Play - Incorporate Play
Trying Together - More Playful Routines
UNICEF - Free Play