Benefits of Play-Based Learning

In today’s competitive society, parents work hard for their children to advance developmentally as quickly as possible. Playtime can seem like a distraction, or even hindrance, to academic learning. While it may seem like a throwaway activity on your child’s way toward more advanced skills, it is actually a critical step toward future achievement. In fact, play-based learning is essential for a child’s physical, mental, and emotional development.

Here are some of the ways we support play-based learning in each area of development:

1. Physical Development:

   Children develop from the head down and the core out, building core muscles comes before developing fine motor skills. To help build core strength, we:

   • Spend time on big-body play like throwing, pulling and pushing heavy things, running, and jumping

   • Offer movement and physical activities that support critical prewriting skills and neuroplasticity

   • Encourage movement that supports the development of both the vestibular sense and proprioception

   • Engage all of children’s eight senses: sight, hearing, taste, smell, touch, and the overlooked senses of proprioception, vestibular sense, and interoception
     

2. Emotional Development:

   • We foster an emotionally healthy environment so children feel safe to grow and try new tasks, boosting confidence

   • Focusing on reading too early can increase anxiety and depression in children. Instead, we let children get comfortable with books by holding them, looking at the pictures, and being read to first. As they grow, letter recognition comes naturally
     

3. Mental Health:

   • Children today have fewer free play opportunities than earlier generations. This decline in play is linked to rising mental health disorders

   • Play and physical activities are crucial for children's mental well-being
     

Additional Reading:

Let Children Play

Embracing Learning Through Play

Twenty-six studies point to more play for young children