How Play-Based Learning is Emerging as a Great Tool in Education

As the new school year begins, many families are deciding which school will be good for their child. Schools and other institutions provide early education in a variety of methods, each touting the benefits of their own programmes. The urge to play is implanted into us and cannot be suppressed. It is critical that we appreciate that, while the desire to play is natural, understanding the nuts and bolts of really playing is not necessarily so, and may necessitate rigorous development. As a result, a play-based approach includes both child-initiated and teacher-supported learning. The instructor stimulates children's learning and inquiry through interactions that try to push their thinking to higher levels.

Play-based learning is a common technique in the early years of the school curriculum. According to studies, play-based learning improves children’s academic and developmental learning results. It can assist prepare your child for success in the twenty-first century by teaching valuable skills. This is something that we as educators intuitively understand but sometimes struggle to put into practice due to the constraints and constraints of the modern classroom and accountability environment. However, in order to achieve progress, it is important to confront this divide immediately. So, let's talk about why students need play and how we can include it in our own classrooms—even if we have to sneak it in and deal with kids who are no longer so tiny.

Also Read | Importance of Life Skills in Preparing for a Better Future

Determining a Play-Based Learning Approach

Play is the hallmark of human growth since it is a hardwired urge that cannot be squelched. We must understand that while the urge to play is one thing, comprehending the specifics of playing may not always come naturally and may take deliberate cultivation. Play-based learning is open-ended and child-driven learning. As the teacher serves as a guide, the child can now take control of how and what they learn. To help the students build on the knowledge they already possess, the instructor scaffolds the students’ learning. This enables each youngster to investigate ideas and resources in accordance with their own development and growth. All kids can benefit from learning that is enjoyable and active, and play-based learning is typically applicable to all students.

SmartStation is an up-and-coming platform that propagates the benefits of play-based learning for students of all ages. The “Thinking with Hands” programme from SmartStation encourages kids to use their natural curiosity and actively participate in their learning which adheres to the best proven educational ideas. 

Components of Play-based Learning 

The following components are included in play-based learning:

• Self-chosen: A youngster chooses to play, how they will play, and how long they will play. An adult may commence play by inviting or suggesting it, but the child controls the rest.
• Joyful: Play is joyful for the child. This emotional factor is critical. There may be some difficulties or conflicts during play, but it is generally enjoyable.
• Unstructured: During play, a youngster has plenty of opportunities to explore and discover. They are guided by their own interests rather than by any predefined norms or strategies.
• Process-oriented: There is no end goal or learning objective. Instead, it is the game’s process that is significant.
• Imaginative: Play frequently involves imagination,’make believe’, or ‘playing pretend’.

The Importance of Active Learning

Active learning can be developed through play-based learning, which is crucial. Active learning entails several uses of the brain. Children explore the world via play, developing an understanding of the social and natural settings around them.

Children develop their gross and fine motor skills through play on a physical level. Students explore spatial relationships and develop these crucial motor skills while learning in a play-based environment.

Every school year, the usage of technology in the classroom grows. Teachers provide students with the opportunity to learn the skills they will need in the adult world by using technology in their teaching. They also provide children with entertaining, engaging lessons that help them develop the abilities they will need to succeed in school.

• Favours the creation of a classroom community. Students can interact with their peers in a way that strengthens their bonds through play. Because kids must collaborate to find answers, their social-emotional abilities improve.
• Encourage collaboration and improve peer-to-peer interactions.
• Increase communication between the home and the school.
• Improves math, reading, and social skills. As students interact with their peers more, their social skills improve; kids learn to collaborate and share their work with their peers.
• Increases imaginative play and learning. When children are allowed the freedom to investigate objects and concepts on their own, their imaginations run wild. Students are encouraged to think critically about what they are learning through play-based learning.
• Keeps students interested. Having fun is critical for keeping pupils interested in what they are studying. When students are actively engaged in their learning, they are more self-motivated and retain information for a longer period of time.

Play-Based Learning vs. Textbook Learning

The educational system has always been hesitant to adapt. On the one hand, delayed change is a positive thing since it helps avoid the hazards of implementing education fads before they’ve been well evaluated and it results in a system that is slow to adjust to the fast-changing technological world. The only way to enhance that response rate is to dramatically alter the systematic approach to curriculum, which is no easy undertaking.

One of the primary reasons why change takes so long? The textbooks themselves. When a textbook is released, it contains all of the latest material, instructional methods, and theories as of the time the textbook was sent to print, which is often at least a year before it gets in schools. Because textbooks are designed to be used for years, there is a significant delay before curricula can be modified and content updated.

Play-based learning is designed from the start to be adaptive. During the production process, the game is tested and changed to be a more effective learning tool. The game can be updated to reflect new information in the field or changes in educational methodologies. After the game is out, it can be updated with new information, strategies, and other features. Student-monitoring analytic tools in games allow teachers to observe students so that the game can be changed in future versions.

Recognizing the Benefits of Play

Children’s thinking can be pushed during play when they participate in both real-world and made-up activities.

Play encourages, stimulates, and supports children’s development of skills, concepts, language acquisition, communication skills, and concentration. Children learn best through first-hand experiences. Children use all of their senses while playing, express their thoughts and feelings, explore their surroundings, and make connections between what they already know and new information, abilities, and attitudes.

When should Play-Based Learning Begin?

While play-based learning for young children should be child-led and open-ended, adult-led play has several advantages when it comes to preparing ahead and focusing on particular learning objectives. Effective play-based learning for young children requires a well-thought-out strategy with clear objectives. This can be accomplished by creating a thorough plan that specifies the goals and format of play-based learning. The beauty of play-based learning is that it may be utilized with children of any age, beginning when a kid expresses an interest in play, particularly independent or imaginative play. Toddlers as young as 15 months can learn as much as youngsters as old as fifteen years! In reality, when it comes to play-based learning and activities for children, there are fewer hurdles to learning as compared to traditional learning strategies.

A toddler will enjoy playing with mud and making up fictional recipes just as much as an older youngster. You only need to tailor the learning intents to the child’s age and ability, for example:

You can concentrate on developing fine motor skills and mobility with toddlers. You can assess how effectively the youngster can make marks in the mud kitchen or hold equipment such as spoons or sticks. This is a terrific method to keep track of fine motor abilities while also having fun with the kids!

Within the same play-based learning environment, you can target more complex learning intents for children aged 3 to 4, such as documenting information using markings that they can comprehend and explain. For example, you can see if the youngster can keep track of how much of each ingredient they use in a mud recipe.

Conclusions 

Your child is naturally inquisitive. They are curious about their surroundings. They accomplish this by observing, listening, moving, conversing, feeling, exploring, and inquiring. These encounters and experiences are frequently characterised by play.

Children can discover their own interests, abilities, and limitations through play; they imagine, investigate, and explore. They improve their memory skills, expand their vocabulary, learn new skills and knowledge, and learn how to interact with adults and other children.

According to research, learning through play fosters favourable attitudes toward learning, laying the groundwork for long-term academic performance and life-long learning skills.  SmartStation, the newest provider of “virtual” after-school and pre-school programmes firmly believes in learning that is play-based, participatory, and phenomenon-based. The student-teacher interactions are one of SmartStation's most unique features. Teachers place a premium on getting to know their pupils as people, not just as students. According to research, when students feel comfortable and known at school, they are more likely to take risks and perform their best work.

Explore SmartStation

 Team SmartStation believes in the following five supportive parts of the teaching-learning process :

• A Guide who is a passionate “Teacher”
• Students have access to hands-on activities
• Students should have options and allow their curiosity to guide their learning
• Providing an opportunity for skill practice
• Developing life skills

SmartStation School has the extra benefit of already having the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 in place. The flexible curriculum was created by Tata Institute of Social Sciences postgraduates with Masters in Academics and Certified Reflective Teachers.SmartStation is not a fan of competitive evaluation. Because each child is unique and has endless potential, judging them using a standard scale/parameter is pointless. Our Teacher at SmartStation works hard to help each and every child realise their unique infinite potential. This is accomplished through an observation-based, continuous, and cumulative process in which students are not scrutinised but are free to express themselves.

The curriculum emphasises activity-based environments to prepare children for academic performance and personal integrity in a varied society that values responsibility encourages cooperation and fosters mutual respect. SmartStation offers a caring approach that develops each child's authentic spirit and character while also educating their hearts and brains. Here teachers strive to establish deep and lasting academic excellence in their students, preparing them to learn confidently for the rest of their life while also giving generously and cheerfully to others.

Now that you understand the significance of play-based learning in education, simply browse the pages of SmartStation to get yourself everything of your interest!

Check Out: Incorporate Peer-to-Peer Learning to Acquire Maximum Learning Benefits