When it comes to early childhood education, the term “play-based” is often used very broadly. Play comes in many different forms and all can be beneficial, but educators need to understand what each type of play looks like and why it is important. Simply calling your program “play-based” does not really describe what parents can expect their children to be doing during the day. Let’s look at the three primary types of play:
Self-directed, or Free Play
Some of the highest quality play a child engages in is done solely on their terms–they choose what, how, and for how long they play. Self-directed play gets to the heart of imagination, allowing children to immerse themselves in play where they get to set the rules and decide what will happen. To adults, free play may appear to be wasting time. It does not carry a specific learning objective, but still teaches a myriad of skills. Teachers do no step in during free play, but rather use it as a time for observation. Free play may be completely independent, or it may involve multiple children working together.
Guided Play
When a teacher steps into the play sphere, play becomes guided. There are many reasons that a teacher might guide play, the most common of which is to teach a specific learning objective. When it comes to specific learning objectives, guided play is a more powerful form of play than free play (Toub et al 2018; Fisher et al. 2013; Alfieri er al. 2011; Lillard 2013; Smith & Pellegrini 2008; Weisberg, Hirsh-Pasek & Golinkoff 2013)). Guided play can be used to introduce a new concept or to reinforce concepts taught previously. Even though the teacher is initiating the play, it is still directed by the child. The teacher simply serves as a guide, often using questions to facilitate the learning taking place.
Structured Play
Structured play is anything that conforms to a set of rules–board games, for example–and has an expected outcome. Many of the activities offered in traditional preschool classrooms come in the form of structured play, as it is a way for teachers to deliver academic learning in a playful manner. Games serve as the facilitator of learning in this type of play, as they deliver the specific learning objective the teacher is focusing on, but the children are still at the helm of their learning.
How much of each type of play should I use?
High quality early learning programs will include a mix of all types of play, and the balance of those will depend on the needs of your students. In my special education preschool classroom, we used far more guided play than free play because that better met the needs of my students. In a preschool classroom for typically-developing children, free play may take up the larger portion of time. Programs for students considered at-risk may be required to target academic skills, which are taught well through guided and structured play. You will likely find yourself adjusting the amounts of each type of play throughout the year as your students learn and grow and their needs change.
Generally, my preferred hierarchy of play is mostly free play, some guided play, and a little structured play. During free play, observation is my best friend. Taking the time to step back watch as my students engage in self-directed play gives me insight into where their strengths and weaknesses lie, which enables me to maximize my guided and structured play time to target skills they need extra support with.
Finding the right balance of these three forms of play will create a classroom for your students to become active and excited participants in their learning!