What is play based learning?

🎨Play is enough! It’s the work of a child and no truer words have ever been spoken. Play based learning is just that, learning in disguise because we’re playing!! Play based learning appeals to children's natural curiosity and desire to engage in experiences based on their interests.

Through play children communicate, connect, show emotions, explore and discover. Most of our activities are unstructured exploration. That means that your child is given materials and allowed to explore for themselves (of course we still set boundaries - the rice stays in the rice bin!) There are lots of options and ultimately we, adults, serve as observers! It is the process of play or art that is important, there is no end goal or result.

When our children bring us into their world by asking a question or handing us an object, we engage, but we do not direct or lead the play because we know "more".

Here is what this might sound like (child directed):

Your child is engaged in a color sensory bin with water, colors, bottles and pitchers. They mix the red and yellow water together and hold up a pitcher that is now filled with orange water and say, "Look Mommy!" You could reply, "Wow! I saw you mix red and yellow. Now you have orange!" You are simply stating what you observed. We call this "sports-casting"

Here is what we try to steer away from (adult agenda):

We try not to provide the materials and then guide their play by saying "Mix the red and the yellow together. See what happens." (When we know what happens. They don't) That is too leading. We want children to come to these conclusions on their own.

These unstructured exploration times lead to your child being more engaged and interested in self driven exploration later on in life. Then we move to activities that are based in play and provide fun opportunities to explore more with colors, numbers, letter names and sounds - like letters on Magna-tiles and toy cars to spell our name vs. rote memorization flashcard activities or workbooks that ask them to trace letters with a pencil.

What are the benefits of play based learning? Have you ever heard your toddler say, “Man, today is a tough day! Can you just spend some time with me so I can regulate my emotions?!” Wouldn’t that be nice to hear so we knew exactly what their brain needed? Instead it probably sounds like “Come play with me!” or an increase in tantrums or whining behaviors.

By providing age appropriate, developmental activities for our children designed with play in mind we’re able to observe our children practice skills without frustration and give them a space to freely express themselves. We let our children lead the play and we get to connect with them.

Children develop stronger creativity and imagination through play based learning. When we provide these opportunities they trickle into more of their free play. They run and see sand at the park and imagine it's lava with dinosaurs to rescue! Research has found that play promotes a child's literacy and language development, as well as, their vocabulary. Whether they are playing by themselves, siblings or friends, they are likely engaging in more conversations and having more social interactions to problem solve and discuss what they are discovering. They are not relying on adults to "teach" them or give them the "correct" answer. Play based learning is fun and it also helps develop a child's fine and gross motor skills as they climb, balance, squeeze, cut, and string with different materials.

Monthly Bundles and Year at Play Basic Bundle

Through our weekly themed activities children will have exposure to 48 different topics throughout the year such as; trains, dinosaurs, gratitude, weather, individuality, bugs and so much more. One month bundles include 4 themed weeks and 1 activity for every week day (20 activities per month). We take the theme of the week, explore it with books and then engage in play like matching letters on a train wheel with stickers, measuring the length of dinosaurs with blocks, using clothes pins and cotton balls to paint, become archeologists as we cisselle dinosaurs out of ice rocks and strengthen our hand muscles using tweezers and play dough for handwriting later on when our child is 5 or 6 years old.

We’re not using worksheets, flashcards or pen and paper to learn about letter names, numbers, our name or the planets because that’s not age appropriate. We’re not using bright and flashy sound toys or tablets because those decrease our child’s attention span and opportunities to engage socially with others.

We minimize screen time and increase our child’s natural desire to engage in play with us, their siblings and others. Now listen … I’m not saying screens, tablets and flashcards are terrible and I’m also not saying they should never be used. Remember that this journey through parenthood is about finding what works for you and your family. In our family, we don’t use screens, we don’t have tablets or TV on when the kids are awake, but that works for us. It’s not for everybody! You can still engage in play based learning throughout the day it might just look a little different for your family depending on your daily routine.

You can purchase one month at a time for $35 or you can purchase the entire year in our Year at Play Basic Bundle for $300.

Let’s take a peek inside 1 week in January's bundle.

You'll see below the Year at a Glance with all the themes.

Next, you'll see the January Month at a Glance with activity names. These are links in the PDF to that specific activity instructions.

Followed by the Week at a Glance (Winter Animals shown below). This is the Book Suggestion list (with links to order or find at your local library) and daily materials lists.

The last 6 pictures shown are examples of the instructions pages for each activity. They come with pictures (for most) activities so you can see what it looked like with our family engaging in it and so that set up is a little easier for you! Also provided are any printables you may need for the activities.

Happy Nappy Bins

Happy Nappy Bins were developed to be 5-15 minute independent activities for children. These are used when you need some quiet time or "Mommy time." In our house, I set these activity bins up for Ryder and Jackson when I am putting Brooks down for a morning nap. I have peace of mind that they are safe and engaged in an activity or book for 15 minutes so that I can nurse the baby to sleep. These activities are shorter, more independent and require less materials because I am not there to facilitate. There is not cutting gluing, glitter, painting etc. I usually provide Happy Nappy Bins in a clear bucket with 2-3 theme books and the materials they need. I give a little bit of instruction and then I am off to shower or put the baby down for nappy! You can get a Year of Happy Nappy Bins for $175!

Let’s take a peek inside 1 week of Happy Nappy Bins

You'll see the Week at a Glance (Week 2 January Snow shown below). This is the Book Suggestion list (with links to order or find at your local library) and daily materials lists with instructions.

The rest of the pictures show my children engaging in these activities and samples of printables you can use with your family. You can also see how I set up the bin with books and materials and then leave them to explore and discover or practice an age appropriate skill without me.

Year at Play Deluxe Bundle

This bundle is $375 and includes a Year of Happy Nappy Bins and the Year of Play Based Activities! It is the best value for setting yourself and your family up for a year of play, discovery and learning!

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What questions do you have about bundles, other products or play based learning?