WELCOME TO PLAY-BASED LEARNING
Welcome to parents and members of the wider community!
As key stakeholders with a critical role to play in the education of our children today, this website is designed with you in mind.
As key stakeholders with a critical role to play in the education of our children today, this website is designed with you in mind.
WHAT IS PLAY-BASED LEARNING?Play is often narrowly perceived as a random set of activities that children engage in, characterised by minimal adult involvement and a context where they don't really learn anything 1. It is even misunderstood as irrelevant to, or completely separate from 'real learning' which occurs only at the direction of teachers 2, 3.
However, research repeatedly defines play as a rich opportunity for children's learning to take place 4. 5, 6, 7. Through play, children are able to develop across a range of physical, cognitive, social, emotional and spiritual domains 8, 9. "Play is the highest form of research." |
Play-based learning is also described in the Early Years Learning Framework as an essential "context for learning" 10 in which children interact with physical materials and others such as peers or adults.
As parents, you are children's first and most important educators 11 and playmates 12. This should be a reason to be well-acquainted with the nature of play-based learning and how it can support your child's learning and overall development.
As parents, you are children's first and most important educators 11 and playmates 12. This should be a reason to be well-acquainted with the nature of play-based learning and how it can support your child's learning and overall development.
FREE RESOURCE: An infographic outlining the different types of play
WHAT ARE SOME OF THE BENEFITS OF PLAY?
Physical:
|
Emotional:
Cognitive:
|
But what better way than to see these benefits and more in actual, concrete examples? That's the reason for this website: to provide you with detailed examples of why and how play-based learning experiences are designed to benefit your child across a range of domains.
SO WHAT IS THE PURPOSE OF THIS WEBSITE?
This website aims to broaden and deepen your understanding of the educational and developmental benefits inherent in play-based learning experiences, which can be easily implemented in early childhood settings, the home context, or even in broader community settings.
Each description of the resourced play-based learning experiences on this website are accompanied by:
Each description of the resourced play-based learning experiences on this website are accompanied by:
- academic learning outcomes directly related to the Australian Curriculum (WHAT CAN CHILDREN LEARN FROM THIS?)
- holistic dispositional outcomes related to the Early Years Learning Framework (IN WHAT AREAS CAN CHILDREN DEVELOP?)
What can you find in this website? You will find two play-based experiences for each of the following five key concepts:
Each concept has links to a range of further activities that you can easily implement with your own children at home.
“Children learn as they play. Most importantly, in play children learn how to learn.” |
The Australian Curriculum and the Early Years Learning Framework are two key documents that early childhood service providers across Australia closely refer to and are held accountable by in their planning, programming, and assessment and reporting of children's learning. This website aims to highlight the relevant learning outcomes, general capabilities and dispositional outcomes addressed through the included play-based experiences.
|
Also available from the AISWA website
Also available from the SCaSA website
|
WHERE TO FIND OUT MORE?In the meantime, are you curious to learn more about play-based learning and/or how you can get involved?
Provided are some links that may be helpful for you. YOUR CONTRIBUTION IS VALUED! >>If you do happen to find other resources not listed here that you believe may be helpful for other parents and community members such as yourself, please use the forum provided in the contact page and send them in to be included on this site!
Do you have any questions or queries about the content on this page? You are most welcome to use the form on the right to send them in as well! |
|
REFERENCES:
- Walsh, G., Sproule, L., McGuiness, C., Trew, K., & Ingram, G. (2010). Developmentally appropriate practice and play-based pedagogy in early years education: A literature review of research and practice. Belfast, UK: CCEA.
- Thomas, L., Warren, E., & deVries, E. (2011). Play-based learning and intentional teaching in early childhood contexts. Australasian Journal of Early Childhood, 36(4), 69-75.
- Whitebread, D., Basilio, M., Kuvalja, M., & Verma, M. (2012). The importance of play. Retrieved from http://www.importanceofplay.eu/IMG/pdf/dr_david_whitebread_-_the_importance_of_play.pdf
- Morgan, A. E., & Kennewell, S. E. (2006). Initial teacher education students’ views on play as a medium for learning—a divergence of personal philosophy and practice. Technology, Pedagogy and Education, 15(3), 307–320. http://doi.org/10.1080/14759390600923691
- Bergen, D. (2009). Play as the learning medium for future scientists, mathematicians, and engineers. American Journal of Play, 1(4), 413-428.
- Duchesne, S., McMaugh, A., Bochner, S., & Krause, K.-L. (2013). Educational psychology for learning and teaching (4th ed.). South Melbourne, Australia: Cengage Learning Australia.
- Arthur, L., Beecher, B., Death, E., Dockett, S., & Farmer, S. (2015). Programming and planning in early childhood settings (6th ed.). South Melbourne, Australia: Cengage Learning Australia.
- Hewes, J. (2006). Let the children play: Nature’s answer to early learning. Retrieved from http://www.ccl-cca.ca/pdfs/ECLKC/lessons/LearningthroughPlay_long.pdf
- Hyvonen, P. T. (2011). Play in the school context? The perspectives of Finnish teachers. Australian Journal of Teacher Education, 36(8), 65-83. Retrieved from http://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/EJ937006.pdf
- Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations. (2009). Belonging, being and becoming: The early years learning framework for Australia. Canberra, ACT: DEEWR.
- Preschool Learning Alliance. (2011). Parental involvement. Retrieved from https://www.pre-school.org.uk/parents/support-advice/423/parental-involvement
- Dandenong Kids. (2013). Play based learning. Retrieved from http://www.dandenongkids.com.au/PDF/ECManual/1.YoungChildren/1c.PlaybasedLearningTipsheet.pdf
- Singer, D., Golinkoff, R. M., & Hirsh-Pasek, K. (2005). Benefits of play. Retrieved from http://udel.edu/~roberta/play/benefits.html
Updated: September 15th, 2015 by Christie Oh