Active
Children’s brains aren’t built to absorb information by passively listening. They learn best through hands-on experiences that help them explore and understand the world.
More than recess and playing with blocks.
What Is Play-Based Learning?
Play is how children naturally learn and because of that, Play-based works better than traditional, direct instruction. Students actively engage with curriculum at their developmental level, building knowledge and skills that transfer from year to year.
Play-Based Learning Definition
Play-based learning is…
An Immersive Approach
Play-based learning is an immersive approach to education that allows students to actively engage in learning that is deeply meaningful and relevant to them.
Proven to Work Better
Research has long-proven that play-based learning works better than direct instruction because it meets children at their developmental level.
Learning that Sticks
Students learn the same curriculum, but play allows them to apply and practice what they are learning in a way that helps them transfer knowledge and skills from year to year and into adulthood.
Ages 4-7: Building the Foundation
Brain Development in Action
Rapid neural growth: Young brains are developing at incredible speed, with play serving as a “natural gym” for cognitive development. Play isn’t just fun—it’s how the brain wires itself for learning, self-regulation, and social connections.
How Play Supports Early Development
Play-based learning provides rich sensory, motor, and social experiences that build and strengthen brain connections. Repeated play experiences help the brain prune unused pathways while reinforcing essential ones for thinking, moving, and emotional regulation.
Characteristics of Play-Based Learning
Children’s brains are wired to learn through play. A play-based learning classroom intentionally introduces curriculum and skills in a way that makes sense to children and follows how they naturally learn.
Six Core Principles
Engaged
If learning is boring, kids tune out. Lessons that engage students and invite them to participate in the learning process hold their attention and spark curiosity.
Meaningful
Children need context to learn. When content feels relevant to their lives and cultures, it makes sense, and it sticks. Learning that’s meaningful is learning that lasts.
Social
Children learn best by interacting with others. From parallel play in early childhood to collaboration in later years, social interactions make learning more enjoyable, memorable, and effective.
Iterative
Effective learning begins with what a child already understands and then builds new knowledge and skills on that foundation, one step at a time. Skipping steps and not meeting children where the are at leads to frustration, not progress.
Joyful
Kids can’t learn if they don’t feel good. Joyful classrooms support emotional and physical well being, in addition to academics. Meaningful learning happens only when students feel safe and a sense of belonging.
“Play-based learning isn’t a 20-minute break. It’s a shift in pedagogy. The same standards are met, but in ways that are active, social, and joyful.”
— Dr. Peg Oliveira, Yale Child Study Center
Free Play vs. Play-Based Learning
Unlike recess or unstructured free play, play-based learning is intentionally planned, hands-on, and research-backed.
- Play-Based Learning: Student driven, teacher-guided with clear educational goals and objectives
- Free Play: Child-directed without academic goals or anticipated outcomes
- Direct Instruction: Teacher-centered information delivery
Autonomy Makes the Difference
"I think you have to support the teachers and you have to give them the leeway to be creative with the curriculum. Nobody wants to come to work in an environment where they're told what to do and how to do it."
— Principal Luis Menacho, J.S. Martinez Magnet School
Restores Joy and Purpose
Instead of bored, disengaged students, play-based classrooms buzz with meaningful discovery and collaboration. Teachers rediscover why they love teaching.
Reduces Daily Stress
Engaged students need less behavior management. Natural classroom management emerges through student investment in their learning.
Professional Autonomy
Teachers are trusted as skilled professionals who can adapt curriculum to meet student needs while maintaining rigorous standards.
Sustainable Practice
Working with natural learning processes instead of against them creates sustainable, fulfilling teaching practices.
Common Myths vs. Factsof Play-based Learning
Play-based learning faces resistance due to persistent misconceptions that contradict the research. Let’s examine what’s true and what’s not.
MYTH: Addressing Implementation Concerns
FACT: It's a pedagogical shift throughout the school day (and year) that often covers curriculum more effectively.
MYTH: There's no time for play
FACT: Play-based learning doesn’t add time; instead, it takes the same time as direct instruction–and the same goals–and transforms how children learn the curriculum.
MYTH: It only works in preschool
FACT: Students of all ages succeed when teachers meet them at their level and connect new skills to hands-on, real-world experiences.
Play-based learning isn't "easier" learning.
In the Classroom, Play Looks Like...
- A productive “buzz”: Students moving, talking, experimenting, and laughing
- Teacher as facilitator: Asking open-ended questions like “why do you think that happened?” instead of lecturing
- Cross-curricular connections: A science unit exploring water can incorporate math, social studies, and language arts.
- Student-driven learning: Curiosity leads, teachers scaffold
- Real-world application: Community explorations, problem solving through hands-on experiences, peer collaboration
Ready to get started?
Take the first step toward a more joyful classroom. Explore our guides and resources to put play-based learning into practice today.
Implementation Guide
Learn practical strategies for implementing play-based learning. Shift your mindset, set up your classroom, and use intentional practices that spark engagement.
Get the GuideMaterials Guide
Learn how to select and use materials for your play-based classroom. Gain inspiration about simple setups that spark inquiry and engagement.
Class MaterialsTalking to Parents
Gain support in explaining play-based learning to parents. Get talking points to address concerns and questions, and a downloadable sample letter to share with families.
Learn MoreEducator’s Toolkit
Support for teachers new to play-based learning, offering setup checklists, parent letters, and practices to spark curiosity and collaboration.
Get the Toolkit