This excerpt from Developmentally Appropriate Practice illustrates the ways in which play and learning mutually support one another and how teachers connect learning goals to children’s play.

Nov 11, 2025 · Play is an important part of children's learning and development. Find articles on how to intentionally connect play and learning, ideas to share with families, and the latest research about …

Curiosity about the world, initiative and problem solving, and focused attention and persistence are just a few approaches to learning that children develop through play.

Play provides rich learning opportunities and leads to children’s success and self-esteem. Laurel Bongiorno, PhD, is the director of Champlain College’s graduate program in early childhood …

When we appreciate the important role play serves in a child’s learning about self and world, we give children the time and opportunity to engage in the self-initiated play that is the surest way for them to …

“Learning Through Play in Teacher Education” explores playful learning as a transformative means to introduce and deepen preservice teachers’ perspectives and practices and to advance equity for …

We can help families understand why play is critical for preschoolers’ learning and development—and how play sets children up for future school success.

That communication should include practical and playful examples that promote and encourage children’s learning of these skills in early childhood education spaces. The good news is that there …

Feb 28, 2017 · Play is essential to child development. When principals and other instructional leaders are able to see what learning through play looks like in a classroom, they are better equipped to help …

One response to the tension between direct instruction and play is to find middle ground. Kathy Hirsh-Paseck and her colleagues, in The Mandate for Playful Learning, stress that learning occurs through …