The Importance of Play in Kindergarten

There is much debate in the world of education regarding play. Some schools have abandoned play-based learning experiences in favor of teacher-led direct instruction--even at the kindergarten level. 

Driven by a fear that American children are not succeeding at the same rate as children from other countries, academics have been pushed further and further down so that, now, children are beginning their formal academic schooling at age 5, or even younger. The problem...research does not support this theory. There is little evidence that this approach improves long-term achievement. In fact, it may have the opposite effect. By limiting play-based experiences, we are depriving children of the opportunity to learn important developmental skills, such as the ability to persevere, control attention and manage their emotions. These are life skills which can influence how a child will succeed in school. In addition, play allows children to learn how to negotiate with others, work as a team, solve problems, think critically, create, wonder and explore.

Not only is play important in the development of 21st century skills such as those listed above, it is developmentally appropriate for kindergarten children. Google the topic of play-based learning and you will find article after article supporting the importance of play.  The thing to remember is that it doesn't have to be a matter of choosing play over academics or vice versa. In my classroom, I balance large and small group teacher-led experiences and student-led, play-based experiences. In addition, this year I will be adding student- and teacher-led inquiry based learning experiences to the mix. I am confident that my students will receive the academic knowledge our district and state require while getting the developmentally appropriate experiences they need.

To give you a sense of why play is important in kindergarten, I have prepared a list of skills that children acquire (many of which are state standards) while playing in common play-based learning areas.

Construction/Blocks

• Enables children to share and cooperate with others

• Teaches children to solve problems (How can we build a bridge?)

• Helps children develop a sense of cause and effect (How many blocks can we stack before the tower falls over?)

• Fosters spatial awareness as students work with size, shape, height, length, width, area, etc.

• Enables children to experience sequencing

• Provides children with experiences in classifying and sorting

• Fosters the development of mathematical concepts such as addition, subtraction, patterning, fractions, counting, sorting, comparing and ordering

• Teaches children to persevere when encountering failure 

Dramatic Play

• Helps children develop solutions to problems that arise during play (We are out of food, let's go to the store...)

• Encourages children to draw on past experiences (schema) in order to solve problems (The baby is sick, I will take it to the doctor to get medicine.)

• Allows children to recreate authentic life experiences (making dinner, changing the baby's clothes, etc.)

• Enables children to use symbols and objects to represent real-world objects (using a block for a telephone)

• Strengthens fine motor development (buttoning, zipping, etc.)

• Encourages cooperation between children

• Provides opportunities for children to see another's point of view

Arts and Crafts

• Allows children to express their individuality

• Assists children to express feelings through their work

• Provides opportunities to explore color, texture and spatial awareness

• Encourages children to make a plan and follow through with it

• Fosters creativity

• Builds fine motor skills

• Enables children to solve problems (How can I make that stand up?, What colors do I mix together to make the shade I need?)

Sensory Table

• Encourages problem solving skills (How to build a tunnel in the sand that won't collapse)

• Provides opportunities to socialize with others and to take turns, share ideas and co-create

• Fosters scientific concepts (sink/float, bridge building, etc.)

• Teachers cause and effect (If I add too much water to the sand, the castle will collapse)

• Allows children to express their concerns with others (Please don't knock down my castle.)

• Builds eye-hand coordination and fine motor skills

Quiet Reading Area

• Encourages storytelling/retelling

• Provides opportunities to develop concepts of print

• Allows children to understand sequence (turning pages in order from front to back)

• Promotes vocabulary development

• Encourages children to ask questions about what they see/read

• Exposes children to a variety of genres

• Promotes listening skills (books on CD)

• Allows children to hold a conversation with one another about a specific book or topic

Trampoline 

• Helps children develop gross motor skills

• Allows children to develop spatial awareness

• Promotes academic skills such as alphabet/sound recognition or counting (children practice these skills as they jump)

• Develops children's balance

• Teaches children to take turns and play cooperatively

Light Table

• Encourages fine motor development

• Fosters pre-writing skills

• Increases eye-hand coordination

• Allows children to experience shadows, light, transparency, opaqueness, colors, etc.

• Encourages creative expression

Take-Apart Station

• Fosters problem solving skills

• Encourages critical thinking

• Allows children to find answers to their questions

• Builds perseverance

• Encourages a sense of wonder

In addition to the play-based areas listed above, I have math, science and writing areas where the children can develop and practice skills or explore provocations I have set out for them.  

In future blog posts, I will share examples of students engaging in play-based learning experiences.