4 ways to encourage play in education

Key points:

As a long-time educator, I have witnessed firsthand the incredible benefits play can have in a K-8 classroom. Unstructured play is how students learn to interact with the world around them. It is what allows them to master social skills and shapes their communication, cooperation and responsible decision-making skills.

A quick Google search on the topic will confirm that gaming is a priority vehicle to learn, so naturally, teachers should strive to include plenty of this material in their weekly lesson plans. Unfortunately, this is not always the case. It is very easy for modern education to become trapped in rigid policies and learning models.

Fortunately, injecting play into lessons can be a simple process if educators are willing to be creative. Here are just a few ideas that have helped me incorporate fun and curiosity into my students' lessons:

• Gamification: Gamification is when educators use game mechanics in non-game situations to improve student engagement and encourage greater participation. For example, when teaching students multiplication figures, an educator could have them play dice games that require multiplying rather than adding the numbers to determine how far they should move. Another strategy is to develop difficulty “levels” that mimic the mechanics of modern video games. Sometimes these simple strategies are all it takes to get students more engaged in the content.
• Curiosity time: Before participating in an investigation, set up several stations where students can experiment, explore, and engage in open-ended play. Allow them to “play” with the materials in an unstructured way and write down any thoughts or questions that come to mind. This helps them gain a practical understanding of how materials work while encouraging them to explore and follow their curiosity.
• Outdoor discoveries: Never underestimate the power of the outdoors! Take students on a walk outdoors in nature, but equip them with clipboards and paper so they can collect the things that inspire them to wonder during their walk. Then, let them investigate to satisfy their curiosity. You could even send students on an outdoor scavenger hunt and encourage them to find things that connect to the academic content they are learning.
• artificial intelligence: Educators should not overlook the growing presence of artificial intelligence in schools. Our students are likely to graduate into a world where ai tools like ChatGPT are common. As such, educators should incorporate ai into lessons as a means to encourage play while also teaching students about the emerging technology. Consider having an ai system like ChatGPT generate an answer to something you would like your students to do and then challenge them to do it BETTER. This closely mimics an essential skill that students must develop and prepares them for future challenges in an ai-driven world.

When we incorporate play into K-8 education, we teach students to invest in themselves and enjoy the learning process. Play enriches their experience, supporting their cognitive, social and emotional development. Therefore, let us embrace positive play in education and empower students by laying a solid foundation for success in their lives.