Play is often viewed as the natural language of childhood. But beyond simply being fun, play is a vital component of early learning. Play-based learning is an educational approach that leverages play ...

Connecticut teachers want you to know that “play-based learning” is not an oxymoron. For years child development and education experts have praised the benefits of play-based learning — a pedagogy ...

As a play researcher, I applaud the state legislature for mandating play-based learning in preschool, kindergarten, and elementary school classrooms. Play has a powerful effect on development and ...

Parents visiting their children’s kindergarten class for the first time may think they’ve arrived at the wrong room, especially if they expect it to resemble the kindergarten they attended as ...

EdSource · The John Fensterwald forecast: What’s coming for California schools in 2026 The John Fensterwald forecast: What’s coming for California schools in 2026 January 8, 2026 - It's time for John ...

Colorful trees come to life as a group of kindergartners glue bits of tissue and construction paper onto a drawing of a trunk. They’re engaged in play — but, in this Northwestern University Center for ...

In Chicago, and across the country, school has become increasingly competitive. Preschoolers are sometimes expected to know their letters, numbers, even sight words, before they’ve truly had time to ...

In May of this year (2024), a colleague and I traveled with a group of 15 American college students to Tokyo, Japan. The trip was part of an honors course on play across cultures. Before leaving, the ...

One of my earliest posts here concerned the definition of play, which I developed further in an article on “Definitions of Play” for Scholarpedia (Gray, 2013) and in my book Free to Learn. I first ...

Locally-owned by Kassie Johnson, the center will use play-based learning along with a curriculum to help prepare children for school.

Kristy Timmons received funding from Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council. She is an Associate Professor of Early Childhood Education at Queen's University, an Ontario Certified Teacher, ...