Play-based learning is a priority in teaching and learning

Fundamental to a child’s mental and physical development, play-based learning has a range of benefits including building organisation skills and making sense of their lives. 

The emergence of technology has created a plethora of opportunities within teaching and learning, however local kindergarten teacher said it has caused children to forget how to play. 

Jennifer Lawrence at Wagga Public School argued that some children are getting caught up in technology. 

“Probably the biggest change I’ve witnessed is kids knowing how to play as they get so caught up in technology, they’ve forgotten how to share and take turns,” she said. 

“With both parents working these days and people having such busy lives, it can be hard to fit play in; for kids to go out in the street and play with their neighbourhood children, it doesn’t really happen like it used to.” 

Goodstart early learning teacher Vivienne Guy argued that play-based learning is an “essential tool”, building a range of different life skills between the ages of zero to five. 

“Children learn and make sense of their learning by play, through cognitive, social and emotional abilities as well as gaining self confidence and engaging in new experiences and interactions,” Ms Guy said. 

“Play is a context for learning in which children make sense of their life and their environment in a way that they feel comfortable.

“In the preschool environment, we embed our teaching practices through play and for example children using play-dough, they learn how to manipulate, pinch, pull, roll, if they’re playing with it at a table they’re learning how to socialise and interact with small and large groups.” 

Ms Guy responded to technology as an important tool in the classroom, however argued that she has not experienced it having a negative impact on their ability to play. 

“We have to be mindful that society is moving into a technology immersed way of living, but it does not overrun our learning here, instead it supports our teaching,” she said. 

CSU’s Dr Helen Logan, in early childhood and primary education, argued that opportunities for children to play are disappearing.

“We can’t do without play-based learning, as children make sense of their world through play by experimenting, as well as promoting language development, social interaction, thinking and problem solving skills,” Dr Logan said. 

“I don’t think children have so much forgotten how to play, however the opportunities for playing are disappearing. 

“One of the key aspects of play-based learning is their interaction with adults; in preschool children are interacting with an educated teacher and is best supported by the quality provision of an indoor and outdoor environment.” 

Dr Logan argued that children are interacting with screen-based toys, which has been a contentious issue for about two decades. 

“There’s a considerable fear that technology is detracting from play activities, but it is a tool for play and the function and engagement it enables means it provides a compliment to play,” she said. 

“For example, when a child is looking through photos on a mobile phone with their grandparent, and talking about what is going on in the pictures, they are becoming familiar with swiping through the photos, as well as story telling, which promotes engagement and social interaction. 

While Dr Logan commended WA for making play a priority, but also was pleased that the NSW Department of Education have ensured that early learning childhood educators deliver quality programs to children. 

“One of the key aspects to early childhood learning is the quality of the staff, to ensure they are specialised, well educated and well supported within their practice,” she said. 

Dr Logan argued that the important issue for parents when thinking about allowing their child to use or own a phone is to consider the phone’s purpose and function.

“They need to consider the phone’s function and how it will support their learning and development,” she said.