Category Archives: Play-Based Learning

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Here are some great videos and articles to check out about how children learn while playing, and how we can support them.

Play is Children’s Work: a brief YouTube video on the benefits of play.

Also, check out my post from October 9 for a link to Penn State’s handout on nurturing learning through music and play.

Supporting make-believe play: www.toolsofthemind.org/parents/make-believe-play/. This is a great article that covers the benefits of imaginative play, gives concrete tips for make-believe games to play with different age groups, and gives tips for choosing pre-schools and children’s activities that encourage make-believe.

Ready to Learn: Dramatic Play. A YouTube video to learn more about dramatic play.

Ready to Learn: Singing Helps Children Learn. A brief video on the benefits of music. For lots more info on music and brain development, look here.

 

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During our first week of toddler class, we are pretty informal, mostly letting the children just explore the new environment in unguided free play. Sometimes parents feel the pressure to be actively “teaching” their children all the time, and may not see the value in free play, thinking of it as “wasted time”.

Here’s a link to one great article which addresses some of the ways that children learn through play: www.parentingcounts.org/professionals/parenting-handouts/information-for-parents-play.pdf