Play-Based Learning – and Why it Matters!
At Soapstone Preschool, we believe, as Fred Roger’s once said, that “play is really the work of childhood”.
Why play-based learning? Play is the foundation of learning for all children.
“Play is how children begin to understand and process their world,” says Angie Rupan, Program Coordinator for Child Development Center in South San Francisco, CA and early childhood educator for over 20 years. “Children’s play unlocks their creativity and imagination, and develops reading, thinking, and problem solving skills as well as further develops motor skills. It provides the base foundation for learning.”
Through play, children grow in creativity and imagination. Their receptive and expressive language skills blossom, along with essential gross and fine motor skills. Through play, children learn to listen, to ask questions, think cognitively and develop problem-solving skills. Literacy and math skills naturally come through play, as children are immersed naturally in learning opportunities.
PLAY-BASED LEARNING RESOURCES:
“Play in Preschool: Why It Matters” (Education.com)
“The Importance of Play-Based Learning” (The Resilent Educator)
NAEYC (National Association for the Education of Young Children
Social Emotional Learning
A play-based philosophy also prioritizes the social and emotional growth of children – these are essential skills for preschoolers and the emphasis of their learning at Soapstone Preschool.
Benefits of Social & Emotional Learning
- Help children manage their big feelings and their behaviors
- Builds empathy, caring, and compassion for others
- Helps children problem solve with peers and adults
- Helps children make responsible decisions
- Helps children make connections and build community around them