Children Learn Through Play: What Play Really Teaches

Play may look like simple fun, but for children it is one of the most important ways they learn. Every time a child builds with blocks, plays pretend, creates a picture, digs in the sand, or plays a game with friends, they are developing skills that will help them throughout their lives.

For teachers and parents under pressure to "get children ready," it can be tempting to trade play for worksheets and drills. But play is the preparation. Here's what children learn through play, and how grown-ups can make the most of it.

Play builds problem solving and thinking

Through play, children learn to solve problems and think creatively. When a block tower falls, a child may try a different way to build it. When putting together a puzzle, children experiment until they discover where each piece belongs. These everyday experiences teach children to keep trying, make decisions and find solutions.

That persistence — trying, failing, adjusting, trying again — is a habit of mind that matters far beyond preschool. Children who get lots of practice solving small problems in play become more confident tackling bigger problems later.

Play supports language and communication

During pretend play, children use words to create stories, explain their ideas and communicate with others. A pretend grocery store, restaurant, doctor's office or classroom can provide wonderful opportunities for children to practice conversations and new vocabulary.

Listen in on a group of children in a dramatic play center and you'll hear them negotiating roles, giving directions, describing what they're doing and using words they've heard adults say. See our guide to building a themed dramatic play center for ideas.

Play teaches social and emotional skills

Children develop important social and emotional skills through play. Playing with others teaches them how to share, take turns, cooperate, listen and work through disagreements. Pretend play also allows children to explore different feelings and situations in a safe and comfortable way.

A child who is anxious about a doctor visit may play "doctor" over and over. A child with a new baby at home may care for a doll. Play is how children process their world.

Physical play builds bodies and brains

Physical play is important, too. Running, climbing, jumping, dancing and playing outside help children develop strength, balance and coordination. Activities such as coloring, painting, building and working with playdough strengthen the small muscles in children's hands that they will later use for writing and other everyday tasks. Our article on fine motor skills explains more.

Play connects many kinds of learning at once

One of the wonderful things about play is that children are often learning in several areas at the same time. A child building a pretend house with blocks might be practicing math (counting, measuring, comparing), problem solving (how to make the roof stay up), creativity (designing the house), language (explaining it to a friend) and cooperation (sharing blocks) — all in one activity.

No worksheet can do that.

Kinds of play worth making time for

• Constructive play: building with blocks, LEGO, magnetic tiles and loose parts.
• Pretend play: dramatic play, dolls, puppets, small-world figures.
• Sensory play: sand, water, playdough, rice and other textures. See sensory bins 101.
• Physical play: running, climbing, dancing, balls, obstacle courses.
• Games with rules: simple board games, matching games, Simon Says.
• Creative play: art, music, movement and storytelling.
• Outdoor and nature play: exploring, digging, collecting and investigating.

How adults can support play

Adults can support children's learning by providing plenty of time and opportunities for play. We do not always need to direct the activity. Sometimes the best thing we can do is provide safe materials, ask thoughtful questions, encourage their ideas and allow their imaginations to lead the way.

Provide time

Long, uninterrupted blocks of play — 45 minutes to an hour in preschool — allow children to get deeply involved. Short, choppy play periods often end just as the most complex play is beginning.

Provide open-ended materials

Materials that can be used in many ways (blocks, fabric scarves, cardboard boxes, loose parts, art supplies) spark more thinking than toys that do one thing.

Ask open-ended questions

• "Tell me about what you're building."
• "What could you try next?"
• "How did you figure that out?"
• "What would happen if…?"

Join in — lightly

Play alongside children and model new ideas, words or roles. Then step back and let them take over. Your job is to extend play, not take it over.

Observe

Watching children play tells you a great deal about what they know, what interests them and what they're ready to learn next. Many teachers keep a clipboard handy to jot quick notes.

Answering the "just playing" question

Parents sometimes worry when they hear their child "just played" all day. Help them see the learning. Share photos with a caption describing the skills involved: "Today Liam and Ava built a bridge for the cars. They tested three designs before finding one that was strong enough!" A short note home, or a copy of this article, can go a long way.

The bottom line

Play is not a break from learning. Play is learning. When children are given opportunities to explore, create, imagine, move and interact with others, they are building the foundation for future learning and development.

Frequently asked questions

How much playtime does a preschooler need?

Early childhood organizations generally recommend long, uninterrupted periods of child-directed play every day — in classrooms, often an hour or more of center time, plus outdoor play.

How do I explain play-based learning to parents?

Show the learning. Share a photo with a caption naming the skills involved, post a short note about what children practiced in centers, or send home an article like this one.