This is an Action Research project I did with a group on advocating for Play Based Learning

1. Play Based
Learning
Simrit Kaur, Ayesha Sadaf &
Roya Hooshmand
1

2. 2
Introduction:
Why did we choose this question?
 Our main topic was Play-based learning as we branched of
we come across the idea of how parents perceive childcare.
 We all have experienced parents reactions to play-based
learning.
Taking that into consideration:
 How do we REINTRODUCE play-base learning to
parents?
 This question sparked our interest because we feel that
many parents are not aware of the value play-based
learning has on their child.

3. 3
Branch of Action Research
The branch we chose for this topic is the Professional Branch.
Aim and Intentions: Play based vs. traditional
Focus for Change: Educating ECE’s & parents on play-based learning
Key Principles and Processes: Educated ECE’s = Educated Parents.
ECE’s will be able to explain to parents what play based learning is and the
importance it has on children.
Theoretical Foundation: If an ECE is able to understand the concept of
play based learning then they can implement it in their practice. Once the
ECE implements it they can show the parents, for example, through
anecdotal observation of how their child is progressing.

4. 4 Ayesha
Educators slam idea of testing preschoolers
Defender of play-based learning
 This article says the push for assessment would be 'a
catastrophe' by Lai Ying-kit and Mimi Lau
 statesthat advocators for play-based learning in kindergarten
programs are suggesting that children at the age of four
should be tested in the areas of Literacy, Maths and Science.
 Professor Morrison said the idea of setting standards and
using assessment was to "get children ready for
school".(Ying-kit & Lau, 2008)

5. 5 Ayesha
Continued…
 According to the article "A sense of failure and being put under pressure
because of testing in these early years can contribute to low self-esteem in
later life. Many suffer depression in adolescence because they failed to be
successful in assessments at an early age. All creativity and freedom in
teaching and learning will be lost," (Ying-kit & Lau, 2008)
 Professor Morrison defended his suggestion, saying “his focus was not
individual tests but continual observation of children's performance. He
said assessment did not necessarily involve "paper and pencil" exams, and
educators could achieve balance by using methods such as anecdotal
assessment, class observation and collecting pupils' journals.” (Ying-kit &
Lau, 2008)
 Professor Morrison said “his suggestion was not a rejection of play-based
programmes but an effort to incorporate assessment.” (Ying-kit &
Lau, 2008)

6. 6 Ayesha
Reflection:
I chose this topic of reintroducing play-based learning to
parents because this is something that is being taken lightly
and does not have the full support from parents
 Parents think that their children go to kindergarten to “just
play”
 the fact that parents see that play-based learning in
kindergarten is “playing around” some parents have their
children take lots of days off of school
 I feel that through play children learn how to be
creative, social skills are enhanced, independence is learned
and so many other skills are learned that will help the child
succeed in life

7. 7 Roya
Why play-based learning? – Early
Childhood Australia
Key Points of the Article:
 What play-based learning is: there is no definite definition of play
however there are different elements that identify as play-based learning.
 Some of the types of play that were mentioned in the article are symbolic
play (often described as pretend play) , active play which is physical,
mental and verbal interactions with others or materials, and voluntary
play
 The role of play-based learning in brain development: play contributes to
shaping the structural design of the brain as well as strengthening brain
pathways.
 “ play allows children to explore, identify, negotiate, take risks…” (
Barblett, 2010, para 8)

8. 8 Roya
Continued:
Implementation aspect of play-based learning:
 By giving suggestions in regards to how to foster play-based learning and
what ECE’s can do
 In order to incorporate play-based learning, centres should have a
schedule that includes indoors and outdoor physical play, intergrade
music and movement as well as adult-child interactions.
 Educators need to question themselves to assure they understand what
play-based learning means.
 Two more important things article suggested for ECE’s to do is to
asses, plan accordingly for these environments: physical
environment, social and emotional environment, intellectual
environment, and temporal environment ( Barblett, 2010).
 Overall this article illustrated that in order for EYLF to be implemented
ECE’s need to have a well and clear understanding of play-based learning
and its importance

9. 9
Roya
Reflection:
 I believe children learn best through play
 This belief roots from my childhood / early learning experiences
 I believe that many people, including parents, simply disregard the
importance of play.
 I want to offer my generation much more in terms of diverse
learning experiences and specifically advocate for play which is the
natural way children learn versus the traditional way of teaching.
 I believe Play helps the brain develop potential for learning later in
life and I want to be a significant person in a child’s life in their
early years of learning to help them foster their potentials to the
fullest.

10. 10
Simrit
The Playing Learning Child: Towards a
Pedagogy of Early Learning
 The article by Ingrid Pramling Samuelsson and Maj Asplund Carlsson is
focused on the approach of how the teacher can direct children’s
awareness towards the learning objects.
 It debates about how play and learning are not always separate in
practices during the early years, but go hand in hand.
 “school is traditionally seen as a place of learning and not of
play, preschool is more often associated with play rather than learning”
(Samuelsson & Carlsson, 2008).
 As schools have been associated with learning, many tend to overlook the
facts that play is a center element in a child’s life.

11. 11
Simrit
Continued…
 Samuelsson & Carlsson, (2008) talk about various different aspects such
as the recent perspectives on play where they state that children create
knowledge when they play.
 They also talk about play and learning in some preschool
approaches, where they talk about the different types of approaches such
as High/Scope, Montessori, Reggio Emilia and Froebel. It states how
each approach incorporates play in a way that enhances a child’s
learning.
 Samuelsson & Carlsson, (2008), also state that “[a] child’s perspective
naturally leads to integration between play and learning”. This means
that children naturally will learn something from their play

12. 12
Simrit
Reflection
 The reason I chose this topic is because I think that parents in today’s
society need to realize that their child is just a child.
 Children want to play and learn, but if you force them to learn they will
not be able to learn as much.
 If a child is playing with blocks, for example, she might build a
house, then a road, even a car. Their play will reflect their everyday
life, and that is what I believe a child should prepare for, everyday life.
 Play-based learning in my opinion, focus on getting children’s
imagination to come to life. It makes them critical thinkers and allows
them to problem solve.
 I would like to explain to parents that by placing their child in a play-
based learning envrionment will help them give their child a gift of
exploration, imagination and a world full of knowledge.

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Summary of Lit review’s
 There is no definite definition of play however there are different
elements that identify as play-based learning.
 Play contributes to shaping the structural design of the brain as well as
strengthening brain pathways.
When it comes to traditional learning:
 Samuelsson & Carlsson (2008), debate how play and learning are not
always separate in practices during the early years, but go hand in hand.
 Also state that “[a] child’s perspective naturally leads to integration
between play and learning”. This means that children naturally will learn
something from their play
 A sense of failure and being put under pressure because of testing in these
early years can contribute to low self-esteem in later life.
 Many suffer depression in adolescence because they failed to be
successful in assessments at an early age. All creativity and freedom in
teaching and learning will be lost," (Ying-kit & Lau, 2008)

14. 14 Ayesha
Data Collection
Why: I thought it would be better ask question in an interview
format
What: I used interviews
Where: Send e-mails to RECE’s and handed out the
questionnaire
When: after every group member agreed on the questions we
went out and started the questionnaire
Who: Ayesha Sadaf
How: I handed out the questionnaire for the RECE’s to answer

15. 15 Ayesha
Data Collection:
1. What do you think play-based learning is?
 Play-based learning is learning through play
Positive impact on children’s learning
2. How do you promote play based learning?
 Add variety of activities and materials
 open ended activities/materials
 Physical activity

16. 16 Ayesha
Continued…
3. what are the benefits of play based learning for children?
 Interacting with children
 Confidence
 Independence
 Language, social and cognitive skills
 Focused on the process not the product
 maintain physical health, helps to develop imagination and
creativity

17. 17
Roya
Data Collection
Why: photographs of Child care centers to examine
environments that promote play based learning
What: Took still photographs
Where: Visit centers in Peel Region.
When: During outdoor play
Who: Roya Hooshmand
How: Asked for permission and took pictures of the room

18. 18
Data Collection:
 In the pictures below from different childcare center
settings, play-based friendly environment are evident where
the child can learn through play and manipulating the world
around him/herself.
 The pictures from outdoor play display areas where physical
play is promoted.
 The indoor pictures show home, block and sensory area.
These areas promote learning for children through
manipulation. Even though they are playing but the purpose
behind it is for them to learn by using their senses.

19. 19 Roya
Pictures of Play-based learning environment
from different centers
Outdoor playground

20. 20
Outdoor environment

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Block area Sensory area

22. 22
Home and Reading Area

23. 23

24. 24 Simrit
Data Collection
Why: I thought it would be better to ask question in an
interview format. Since our research is based on finding out
what parents believe play based learning is, it was important
to know their opinion rather then give them options to
chooses from.
What: I used interview
Where: family settings (home)
When: after every group member agreed on the questions we
went out and started the questionnaire
Who: Simrit Kaur
How: I interviewed parents

25. 25
Simrit
What did parents say?
What do you think play-based learning is?
 Way of incorporating learning through play activities
 Good for children under the age of three to obtain stimuli from the
envrionment hence playing with objects….through their senses
 children learn through muscle activities and indoor and outdoor games
 When children direct learning by doing what they do best playing.
Play-Based Learning
When parents were asked if they
believe whether Play-based learning
40% Positive had a positive or a negative impact
60% on their child, 60% said positive
Negative
and 40% said negative

26. 26
Simrit
Continued…
Which do you think is more effective traditional learning or play based
learning?
 A healthy mixture of both
 One should not be excluded for the other but that both would be
beneficial to children.
 If traditional learning is excluded, you may risk the child not learning
"the basics".
 If you can engage a child in learning through play, they may be more
open to learning and they may also retain what they have learned.

27. 27
Analysis of data
 According to our data the RECE’s have an understanding that play based
learning has a positive impact on children.
 Because some RECE’s have an understand of the impact of play based
learning, they are able to set the classroom envrionment in a way that is
inviting and stimulating for the children.
 If RECE’s are able to understand the concept of play based learning, they
are better able to explain to parents the positive impact play has on a
child.
 Parents will be aware that the best way for their child to learn is:
THROUGH !

28. 28
Theorist- Plato
 Plato believed that “play was central to children’s learning – experiential
learning- The most important part of education is right training in the
nursery. The should of the child in his play should be guided to the love
of that sort excellence in which when he grows up to manhood he will
behave to be perfected” – Laws
 Influence of early learning experiences on children’s lives and later
behaviours and attitudes.
 This relates to our topic because it supports our overall message of how
play based is foundation on which a child can prepare for every day life.
 Play is the venue through which children learn.

29. 29
Recommendations for future
research
 Based on the research we have done we would suggest to RECE’s that
they should put their theory into practice.
 If the ECE’s strongly believes in play based learning, they can then
reintroduce play to parents.
 This can be done by actually having parents come into the classroom to
observe their child while they are playing (learning).
 This way parents are able to see for them selves that even though children
are “playing” they are learning through it.
Our definition of play is: where the child’s imagination
come to life by learning how to be creative, enhancing social
skills & independence which helps the child succeed in life.

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Plans for the future
How will these findings help to inform you and future RECE’s in their
practice?
 What can be stated with certainty about your research topic? Provide
your recommendations as a result of this topic.
Play-based learning is the natural and most effective way children learn
through in early years but it needs to be purposeful play so that the child
has the opportunity to explore the world around him/herself and use their
own imagination. By taking play away from children, you can potentially
take away the extend of learning and developing in different area later in
life. Play helps brain to develop potentials for learning later in life, then
why should we prevent them from that? ECE’s need to educate parents
about the benefits of play. Although There is no definite definition of
what play-based learning is, there are common characteristics of the
environment that would foster play-based learning which every child care
setting should take that into consideration.

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 What continues to puzzle you about this topic?
What continues to puzzle us about this topic is why some parents and
professionals are having such a hard time shifting their thought about play-
based learning after even knowing all the benefits.
 What do you still want know about this topic?
When does play based learning stop for children? (at what age?) does it
have to stop at all and turn to traditional way of learning or can adults learn
the best through play as well?
 What questions about it do you have now?
How far has play-based learning gone in school system for children over 8
years old when they start learning multiplication and division.

32. 32
“Play is the only way the
highest intelligence of
humankind can unfold.” ~
Joseph Chilton Pearce (author)

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Reference:
 Anderson, A.-B. (2012). Evidence-Based Practice in ECE. Historical Concepts of Early Childhood &
Child Rearing. Brampton, ON: Sheridan College Institude of Technology and Advanced Learning.
 Barblett, L. (2010) Why play-based learning?. Retrieved from
http://www.earlychildhoodaustralia.org.au/every_child_magazine/every_child_index/why_play-
based_learning.html
 Lai Ying-kit, & Mimi Lau. (2008). Educators slam idea of testing preschoolers defender of
play-based learning says the push for assessment would be 'a catastrophe'. South China Morning Post, pp.
3.
 Samuelsson, I., & Carlsson, M. (2008). The Playing Learning Child: Towards a pedagogy of early
childhood. Scandinavian Journal of Educational Research, 52(6), 623-641.