Play & Recess

Making Learning More Playful

In this series, we showcase six schools that are taking innovative—and practical—approaches to play-based learning, and share compelling evidence that learning through play benefits students of all ages.

March 24, 2023

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While it’s commonly accepted that play is the foundation of learning in early childhood education, space for active, hands-on play tends to dwindle as children progress up through the grades. Yet research shows that when kids are engaged in meaningful, play-based activities, their brains are more open to all kinds of learning.

What does it look like when schools commit to joyful, child-centered learning that includes play all the way up through eighth grade, or even high school? Edutopia has been visiting schools around the world that make play central to their pedagogy, as part of our effort to uncover evidence-based strategies that any teacher can adopt to drive more creativity, more student agency, and better academic outcomes for their learners.

School Culture
What Makes Learning More Playful?
By bringing playful approaches into the classroom, teachers can engage more students at a deeper level, improve learning environments, and boost motivation.
Play & Recess
Creating Opportunities for Unstructured Play
When schools make space for free play in a natural environment, students are left to their own devices to build, create, and problem-solve—and the benefits continue once they are back in the classroom.
Brain-Based Learning
Using Movement to Teach Vocabulary
When students explore new words through movement, they understand them better, retain them longer, and feel more empowered to use them.
Student Engagement
Handing Over the Reins for a More Playful Learning Experience
With guidance and support from teachers, student-led learning expeditions can boost engagement, motivation, and deeper learning.
Collaborative Learning
Making a Math Lesson More Hands-On
When teachers provide opportunities for students to construct figures and play with dimensions while exploring geometry, math becomes more accessible to everyone.
School Culture
How a School Made Play Central to Learning
At a primary school in the UK, both students and teachers have become more engaged and curious as a result of a shift to a fully play-based approach—and learning has become more joyful for everyone.
English Language Learners
Lowering the Stakes for Language Learning
By intentionally creating lessons that are social, collaborative, and joyful, educators can make it easier for students to build their skills—and confidence—in a new language.
Collaborative Learning
Activating Learning by Milling to Music
When students pretend they’re at a fancy party making small talk, a simple brainstorm for writing ideas becomes more lively, more cooperative—and more effective.
English Language Learners
5 Playful Strategies That Reduce Language Learning Anxiety
We visited a classroom in Denmark to see how a playful learning philosophy can put students at ease and make language learning joyful and engaging.
Paige Tutt
Learning Environments
The Benefits of Taking Kindergarten Outdoors
By exploring outside their classroom—and even their schoolyard—two teachers found their students’ learning potential became boundless.
Instructional Coaching
The Role of Coaching in Developing Playful Lessons
Giving teachers time to collaborate on making classroom activities more active, social, and meaningful can result in higher student engagement—and deeper understanding of academic content.
Assessment
Taking a Playful Approach to Assessment
When teachers bring collaboration, creativity, and choice into assessment, anxiety and dread give way to confidence and joy as students show off what they have learned.
Interest-Based Learning
Dedicating Space for Curiosity and Exploration
By turning a plain old hallway into a destination that every class visits regularly to tinker and play, a school made limited resources go further and saw student enthusiasm soar.
Literacy
Building Literacy Skills by Sparking Imaginations
When teachers provide activities that encourage kindergarteners to explore the elements of storytelling through play, they lay the foundation for reading and writing.
Play & Recess
Across Grade Levels, Should Learning Be a Lot More Playful?
Denmark has fully embraced playful learning in its K–12 schools. We visited two schools to see the pedagogical approach in action.
Paige Tutt