Learning Through Play

There was a fascinating article, by Gina Bellafante, in the New York Times titled "The Great Divide, Now in the Toy Aisle." The "Great Divide" in this article is the economic divide that exists our country, and the gist of the article is that economic inequalities are apparent even in toys. Many of the specialized toys that are designed to stimulate the brain and promote learning are (according to the article) not typically carried in chain stores. The article notes that "Sean McGowan, a toy industry analyst at the investment bank Needham & Company explained it, the market for educational toys is never quite as big as we would like it to be. While a company like Toys “R” Us carries educational toys, over time its commitment to promoting them has eroded, he said." This is interesting and upsetting to me as an educator. It would seem that this is yet another place where the economic gap is putting out students in poverty at a disadvantage.   

A big part of my training as a teacher has been in outdoor and adventure education and through this I have been trained to recognize the value in learning through play. In every science class that I was trained to teach at Eagle Bluff, virtually every learning objective had a game that went with it. Even in the traditional classroom, math curriculum's always include games. A spelling and phonics curriculum "Words Your Way," that is popular in the Twin Cities, encourages spelling games (way beyond the spelling bee, which I always dreaded as a child). As educators we know the value of getting kids to have fun while they learn and how it helps engage all learners. 

If we try to help students learn through play in the classroom, why not encourage them to learn through play at home too? Learning through play certainly does not have to come from a toy store. David Elkind, PhD wrote the article "Learning Through Play" in which he not only explains the importance of play and how children learn about the world around them, but he also describes several interesting, free activities and word games that parents could do with their children to encourage playful learning. 

This list of suggestions, from Elkind's article, would be a great addition to a newsletter to parents. 

1. Ask a child to think of as many things as he or she can think of that you can do with a paper clip, pencil, or napkin.
2. When riding in the car, play games like finding how many houses have For Sale signs, front porches, or identify particular car models that you see passing by.
3. After watching a TV program together, talk about the story and characters, what did you like and not like about them.
4. Watch some ads on TV and criticize them.
5. Make up new endings to stories you have just read.