Play-Based in Practice

What Does Play-Based Practice Look Like?

Many of us have walked into a Kindergarten classroom and seen the different activity centres that promote and allow for play-based learning. So the question is: What will play-based look like for older primary kids? 

-Since students are beginning to read, prompts/suggestions at activity centres could be left for students.  Although clear intentions should be made beforehand that students are also free to explore their own ideas and adapt the centre to their needs. For example, as shown in the video, one centre called “books and baskets”, has laundry baskets that are meant for the students to sit in and read. The students do not have to sit in the laundry baskets, they could also be used to store the books that need repair (maybe the students are now playing “library”)

-Age appropriate centres should be a part of the classroom. For example, instead of a play kitchen (often a feature in a Kindergarten room) how about a grade three classroom that incorporates real ingredients that students can mix together to make edible creations. Another centre could be a restaurant. Writing would then take place in the form of menus, orders being taken, and recipes. Math could be used at a cash register or for menu pricing. All of these suggestions promote cognitive, language and literacy skills.

-Incorporating more technology.  In the younger primary grades audio books and listening centres may exist.  In the older primary grades there can be access to different virtual games, or ipads to record short videos.

-Combining the arts curriculum with age appropriate resources.  Such as age appropriate books that students can use for drama, and putting on plays.

-Play-based practice can consist of centres that are on-going (need little maintenance), centres that are set up for a limited time or a project that is play-based such as students producing a project in their own creative way (through drama, visual art, game creation etc.)

How to Enhance Play-Based Practice

-Don’t be afraid to set up some rules. Even playgrounds have rules. For example, limit to the number of students at a centre – so that the classroom does not feel chaotic. This promotes structure, but also still allows for freedom within the centre.

-Make sure there is truly balance between teacher-directed play and how the students want to play.  This means that you might set up a centre expecting one thing, and it may turn into something else.  Do not be discouraged. Play has to be meaningful to the students and organic play celebrates creativity. Remember your centre facilitated the play, and has allowed the students to determine what is important to them.

-Observations are important to determine what the students are interested in.  This can lead to the student play being built upon the next day with suggestions from you or it can lead to the creation of new centres, and new lessons.

-Having an observation checklist that focuses on different skills that you are looking for so that you can assess what is being learned through play and how children are progressing.

-Invite parents to observe their children during play-based activities. Have an observation checklist with examples of what they might see to show the value of play-based learning.

Here are some videos about creating and organizing centres in your classes.