6: The Art of Play

Play as a Core Feature of Educational Practice

In a study by Chu et al. (2025), researchers from Harvard University and the University of California, Berkeley, discovered that "playing for fun" represents a unique motivational context that differs fundamentally from "playing to win." When children between the ages of five and ten were asked to design a game, they consistently made different choices depending on whether their goal was enjoyment or victory. Children who were trying to win selected easier game settings that increased their chances of success. When their goal shifted to having fun, however, they intentionally increased the level of challenge. Rather than seeking the quickest path to success, they chose more difficult tasks that required greater effort and persistence. These findings suggest that children recognize that enjoyment often comes from engaging with meaningful challenges rather than simply achieving an easy outcome.

This distinction carries important implications for early childhood education. Adults sometimes assume that children prefer activities that guarantee success or minimize frustration. The research suggests a far more sophisticated picture. When external rewards such as prizes or competition are removed, many children willingly embrace challenges that stretch their abilities. They appear to value the experience of exploration, experimentation, and discovery even when success is less certain. In many ways, children become active designers of their own learning experiences, adjusting the level of challenge to match their curiosity and engagement.  This also aligns with what has been discussed ealier in this text: children naturally seek the "optimal challenge" that Csikszentmihalyi argued produces flow. Additionally, Vygotsky would be in agreement! 

These findings align closely with decades of developmental research emphasizing intrinsic motivation. The satisfaction children experience while solving a difficult puzzle, constructing an elaborate block structure, or experimenting with art materials often comes from the process itself rather than from external recognition. As children encounter manageable challenges, they develop persistence, flexible thinking, and confidence in their own abilities. They also learn that mistakes are part of learning rather than signs of failure. This willingness to engage with uncertainty creates opportunities for deeper cognitive growth because children remain focused on the experience instead of the outcome.

For early childhood educators , these findings offer an important reminder that effective learning environments should include opportunities for children to make meaningful choices, test their own ideas, and encounter appropriate levels of challenge. Learning experiences become more engaging when children have ownership over their exploration and enough freedom to modify materials, ask questions, and pursue their interests. A classroom that values play is not one without purpose. Instead, it is a setting where curiosity drives learning, challenge is welcomed, and children experience the joy of mastering increasingly complex ideas through active engagement.

Language, Play, and the Child’s Inner Genius

In the early childhood classroom, language play is especially delightful. Children often invent words or apply language rules creatively. For instance, a child might say “goed” instead of “went” or “mouses” instead of “mice.” These so-called “mistakes” show that children are actively constructing the rules of English in their minds. Rather than correcting them, teachers can express interest and curiosity. This builds children’s confidence as language learners and shows respect for their creative process.

Creative expression through language is not only acceptable—it’s deeply valuable. Children who are allowed to explore language freely tend to become stronger communicators and more confident speakers. One famous quote about children is that they “see what others do not,” as illustrated in The Emperor’s New Clothes. A child sees the obvious truth—“He’s not wearing anything!”—even when adults won’t say it aloud. This fearless honesty and perceptiveness is part of what makes children such brilliant observers of the world. Similarly, in The Ugly Duckling, we see the journey of becoming one’s authentic self. Through play and storytelling, children explore identity and self-worth.

The Art Within Dramatic Play

Dramatic play is a powerful engine for learning and development. When children engage in dramatic play, they’re trying on roles, practicing language, and expressing emotions. There are many forms of dramatic play, including role play (such as pretending to be a parent, teacher, or superhero), object play (using everyday items or symbolic props), thematic play (acting out a restaurant or space adventure), and persistent, ongoing play scenarios that stretch over days or weeks.

Sara Smilansky, a respected researcher in child development, viewed socio-dramatic play as a particularly advanced and meaningful form of dramatic play. In socio-dramatic play, children create a shared world with a consistent theme—like a hospital, a grocery store, or a family camping trip. They take on specific roles, use props, and develop a storyline together. Smilansky identified six essential qualities of this kind of play:

1. Role Play – Children say things like, “Let’s say I’m the baby and you’re the doctor.”
2. Props – They use objects (real or pretend) that support the theme.
3. Actions – Each child behaves according to their role.
4. Talking – Language is used to organize the play, negotiate, and stay in character.
5. Two or More Players – Socio-dramatic play is always social.
6. Elaboration – The play develops in complexity, with storylines and challenges.

As educators, we can facilitate socio-dramatic play by offering open-ended materials, setting up themed play areas, and observing quietly while allowing children to direct their own play. Occasionally, stepping in to introduce new vocabulary or props can extend and deepen their learning.

Woodworking: Empowerment Through Challenging Skill Building

"Woodworking day at Mayport Child Development Center" by Petty Officer 3rd Class Mark Hays / U.S. Navy is in the Public Domain. Available via Wikimedia Commons.

While woodworking may seem like an old-fashioned or risky activity, it can be an incredibly valuable and empowering experience for young children. It engages the senses in a rich and calming way—children feel the texture of the wood, hear the sounds of sanding and hammering, and even discover what happens when they add water to wood. It’s a deeply satisfying form of play that supports:

• Perceptual-motor coordination
• Emotional release
• Concentration and persistence

To ensure safety and success in woodworking areas, follow a few key guidelines:

• Introduce one tool at a time, modeling how it works.
• Maintain close supervision, especially with younger children.
• Limit the group to four or fewer children at a time.
• Require safety goggles and use clear rules.
• Store tools neatly with outlined shapes to support independence and care for materials.

Woodworking also supports risk assessment and confidence building—children feel proud when they complete a real, tangible project with their own hands.

Visual Art as Communication

In early childhood classrooms, visual and tactile art should be everywhere. For children who are still developing their verbal skills—or for those who are nonverbal—art becomes a first language. It allows them to express feelings, thoughts, and experiences that they might not have words for yet.

A well-equipped art space should include:

• Two-dimensional materials like drawing tools, paint, and paper
• Three-dimensional materials like clay, recycled boxes, wire, and natural items
• An accessible “help-yourself shelf” where children can choose materials freely

Remember, the process matters more than the product. Instead of focusing on what the final creation looks like, pay attention to the decisions, discoveries, and emotions children express while they’re working.

Physical Play: Building the Body and Brain

Young children are wired to move. Physical play is not just a break from learning—it is learning. Movement supports the development of gross motor skills (like running and climbing) as well as fine motor skills (like stringing beads or working puzzles). When children move their bodies, they are strengthening their muscles, coordination, spatial awareness, and balance. They're also learning to manage risk, collaborate with others, and regulate their energy.

Classrooms and playgrounds should be filled with opportunities for physical activity. Here are just a few examples of rich, developmentally appropriate physical play:

• Gross motor: running, climbing, sliding, jumping, pedaling tricycles, navigating obstacle courses
• Fine motor: lacing cards, pegboards, puzzles, parquetry blocks, sewing cards, and table toys
• Natural sensory play: water tables, sandboxes, gardening
• Constructive movement play: climbing structures, carpentry tools, building large forts or dens
• Creative movement: dancing to music, acting out stories, and engaging with scarves or instruments
• Daily routines: feeding pets, watering plants, helping set the table

These experiences provide opportunities for autonomy, joy, and skill building.

Constructive Play: Solving Problems with Hands

Constructive play happens when children use materials to build or make something. It often includes engineering, planning, and trial-and-error. Whether they’re stacking blocks, creating a house out of cardboard, or building a ramp for a ball, they are learning critical thinking skills.

Here’s an example:

“I know. The higher ramp will make the ball go faster,” Alexia announced, “but the lower ramp will make it go farther.”

“Why do you think so?”

“Because balls speed up from higher up. And the lower ramp slows balls down so it rolls longer and goes farther.”

Another child had a different idea: “The lower ramp makes balls faster because it’s closer to the ground,” Jonathan said.

Notice how both children are testing theories, explaining their thinking, and engaging in scientific inquiry—without a worksheet or a lab coat in sight!

Environments That Support Play: Time, Space, and Materials

A rich play environment is thoughtfully planned. Children need:

• Ample time: Play should not be rushed. Long, uninterrupted blocks of time allow ideas to evolve and deepen.
• Ample space: Children need room to move, build, and spread out—both indoors and outdoors. The space should feel physically and psychologically safe.
• Ample materials: A mix of open-ended and themed materials invites exploration. This includes:
  • Props: dress-up clothes, pretend food, puppets
  • Loose parts: buttons, bottle caps, cardboard tubes, sticks, fabric
  • Art supplies: markers, paint, glue, recyclables
  • Found treasures: free “creative junk” like movie theater poster boards or packaging materials

Most importantly, children need adults who notice and value their play. Educators can comment on what children are doing, interpret their ideas, and extend their thinking with questions or new materials without taking over.