LEGO Education’s Post

#ThursdayThoughts 💡 How can we incorporate play into classrooms with young learners? In an article titled “For Young Kids, The Power of Play-Based Learning,” Andrew Boryga reports that “A group of researchers from the University of Cambridge analyzed decades of research on ‘guided play’—more commonly called play-based learning—and concluded that it can have a ‘greater positive effect’ on the acquisition of skills like math, shape knowledge, and task switching than more traditional approaches that prioritize seat time and explicit instruction.” Play-based learning allows students to explore areas of interest and express their personal creativity. Some teachers incorporate play into the classroom by dedicating 30-45 minutes to “choice time,” where students can explore different spaces in the classroom with a variety of activities. This type of guided play is an emerging tool to encourage student agency, participation, creativity, and more for young learners. “For Young Kids, The Power of Play-Based Learning” - https://lnkd.in/gpaZiAVk #fōmcorefurniture #playbasedlearning #k12education #classroom #softseatingexperts #younglearners #guidedplay #fosteringconnectionandbelonging #servecreateinspire

#Play is central to how children learn—the way they form and explore #friendships, the way they shape and test hypotheses, and the way they make sense of their world. “Lead kids in open-ended investigations with no “correct answers” to help them get more comfortable with the unknown. Model the learning that you want to see and be open to exploring something new with your students where you don’t already know the answers.” #playbasedlearning #risktaking #powerofplay

The joy of learning is an important aspect of developing lifelong learning.

Play isn't just for the early years—it's a powerful tool for learning at any age! 🌟Research shows that when students engage in meaningful, play-based activities, they're more open to learning of all kinds. Excited to share this insightful article from Edutopia - George Lucas Educational Foundation highlighting schools that prioritize joyful, child-centered learning throughout the grades. I especially love the segment 'Using Movement to Teach Vocabulary', not only are students more active but they are gaining a better understanding of new words by acting them out. Let's explore how play can drive creativity, student agency, and academic success for learners of all ages! 🚀 #PlayBasedLearning #StudentEngagement https://lnkd.in/gRQSJ6Z4

Learning doesn't have to be boring. Here are five ways to support the power of play in your classroom, allowing students to explore the unknown and find joy as they learn.

But if we are truly going to educate our children, we must do it in a developmentally appropriate way. That means being intentional about including time for big-body physical play during the school day. Big-body physical play IS developmentally appropriate.⁠ The human brain demands this kind of physicality to learn how to use the body for learning which includes behavior, self-regulation and self-control.⁠ When we keep kids from moving, we make school harder than it should be and classroom management harder than it needs to be.⁠ ⁠ #outsmarthewiggles #movementpowerslearning #activekidslearnbetter

Our ability to regulate is influenced by the overall stress load we are managing. This includes the stress load from visual input. Increasingly I meet leaders and classroom teachers who no longer hang work across the middle of the classroom. Teams are acknowledging these displays add to the visual load being processed by students and educators. I can absolutely feel the difference in classrooms when there is/ isn't these displays hanging across the middle of the room. Can you feel the difference too? If there is one tweak, I can encourage coming into 2024 is removing visual displays hanging across classroom. Give it a try and see how it feels for you. #sensoryprocessing #classrooms #schools #projectclassroom #occupationatherapist

In the shift towards #learnercentered education, reintroducing #play into high school classrooms is invaluable in engaging students. From tactile activities to creating safe spaces for exploration, discover how play can enhance learning and foster a joyous environment. Read more on how to implement these strategies: https://lnkd.in/euNmr5pA #EdLeadership #PlayfulLearning

Play-based learning is not just for elementary students! The below article gives some helpful ideas as to how to incorporate play within instruction for older students (I would include middle school here, too!) https://lnkd.in/eqra5as7

Harvard University released a new book today. The book 📖, titled "A Pedagogy of Play - Supporting Playful Learning in Classrooms and Schools," is the result of eight years of research 🔬 led by a team at the Graduate School of Education. The researchers explained that when playful learning is embraced, children are given the opportunity to explore the unknown, lead their own learning, and find joy in learning. They also offer five ways educators can support playful learning: ✅Empower students to guide their own learning. ✅Create a culture of collaborative learning together. ✅Encourage risk-taking and experimentation. ✅Promote imaginative thinking. ✅Accept the different emotions that play can create. The free book can be downloaded 🔽 on Harvard GSE's website. At Out Of The Box, we believe in embracing learning through play 🛝 as well, and our Classroom-in-a-box creates learning and playing environments anywhere.