Understanding the value of play from birth through 3rd grade

Playful, Joyful Learning.

As states across the country develop research-based guidelines and standards for development and learning, educators and parents feel an increasing responsibility to ensure children are prepared to meet high academic expectations. As a result, time for play and playful learning is often cut from the daily classroom schedule in favor of more educator-directed and narrowly scripted instructional approaches. The purpose of this brief is to help educators, administrators, and practitioners: 1) understand the value of play in children’s healthy development and learning; and 2) develop the use of play as one of many appropriate teaching tools to help children work toward learning goals and meet developmental expectations.