Learning through Play

You may have heard the term ‘learning through play’ or ‘play-based learning’ however, to the average person these techniques may look quite different from what we believe ‘learning’ to be. Children are curious individuals, and utilise play to learn about their environment and the world around them. From infancy to adolescence, the play that children engage with can differ and offers opportunities to develop different skill sets based on their individual development.

Offering a wide variety of benefits, play-based learning has been adopted by a number of early childhood education centres in Capalaba. As children will typically engage with play quite enthusiastically, play is an invaluable resource for learning, growth, and development and allows children to explore the world in a safe and controlled environment.

What are the benefits of play based learning for early childhood education in Capalaba?

Physical Development

Play has enormous benefits for a child’s physical development, aiding in gross and fine motor skill development and muscle growth and development. Gross motor skills include skills which utilise whole body movements, requiring the body’s major muscles to work cooperatively to perform functions such as walking, running, balancing. Hand-eye coordination is included within gross motor skills, and can be rapidly improved through play activities. Creating activities for children where they are required to balance, move their body, and use strength to complete the task are all fantastic ways to progress their physical development.

Activities may include:

• Bouncing a ball
• Throwing and catching beanbags
• Climbing up play equipment
• Balancing on a balance beam
• Running with friends

Language and Communication Skills

When playing, children will often have to communicate with their peers or adults around them to achieve their desired results or outcome. Diverse play, often facilitated by child care centres in Capalaba, allows children to explore new vocabulary and learn new words and meaning, in addition to being able to practise utilising language in a variety of settings and with many different individuals. Encouraging children to explore their environment and to ask questions about what things are present in their environment is a great way to promote a more extensive vocabulary and language skills.

Activities may include:

• Reading books
• Outdoor exploring
• Role-play games
• Sensory play

Social Development and Skills

Similar to language and communication skills, playing with peers or educators at childcare centres in Capalaba and other adults can foster positive and productive social skills within children, and can lay the foundation for positive social interactions as they grow. Through playing together, children start to learn and understand social norms and can help them navigate different types of relationships. In addition to this, children are able to explore how interactions make them feel and how to regulate their emotions, and can also witness this within their peers.

Activities may include:

• Role play
• Board games
• Team sport games
• Arts and crafts

Problem Solving

Play can present a variety of challenges for children, requiring them to problem solve to reach a resolution. By encouraging children to engage in more challenging play, it requires them to identify the challenge and find an appropriate solution, which can be frustrating for some children. By working through these challenges, children become more resilient and can translate these problem solving skills into other facets of their lives, and continue to develop them as they grow.

Activities may include:

• Grouping like objects
• Puzzles
• Stringing beads
• Stacking blocks

Creativity

Imagination and creativity is a significant part of play, and engaging in different activities can promote the use of these skills. Bringing characters to life by playing with toys, playing outside and creating storylines or scenes, and drawing or creating artwork all require the use of imagination and require children to think and reflect on the storyline and plan what they’re creating.

Activities may include:

• Arts and crafts
• Role-play
• Playing with toys
• Outdoor play

Play-based learning in child care centres in Capalaba.

Any high-achieving child care centre in Capalaba will help promote learning through play, and will encourage children to engage in a variety of activities. Educators will provide age-appropriate resources and will model and demonstrate desirable behaviours for play. Moreover, educators will ask and answer questions about any activities, and encourage children to communicate with one another, whilst offering support to work through challenges and problems. Finally, educators will observe the children in their care and can provide any adaptations required to help accelerate children’s learning whilst still remaining at the pace of the child. An example of this may be if your child is struggling with their pincer grip, offering adapted pencils or crayons can help strengthen this until the adaptation is no longer required.

Play-based learning is an invaluable tool for children’s development, and early childhood education in Capalaba heavily utilises these behaviours to promote a wide variety of benefits and skills. Give your child a head start by enrolling your child in a child care centre in Capalaba that understands and value learning through play, and reach out today to learn more.