How to Support Learning Through Play at Home

Children learn best when the learning is fun! When embarking on new educational journeys, learning through play is one of the best tools teachers and parents alike can use to help children progress in a way that is fun, engaging and positive.

Recreate Some of the Classroom

Learning through play is a primary focus for child care teachers (especially our incredible staff at Simon Center!). Part of that focus is to set the stage, ensuring that children have plenty of learning-focused toys, tools, literature, visuals and sensory experiences that contribute to helping them develop vital skills through their play.

By recreating some of these at home and giving children plenty of designated time to play, you’ll get to experience first-hand how much your child learns and develops during this time.

Ask Open-Ended Questions

One of the best ways you can encourage learning through play is to ask open-ended questions to not only extend the time your child spends engaged, but also to introduce new vocabulary. You don’t even need a whole classroom! In fact, screen time is a great tool that can be used to facilitate learning through play. You and your child can sit together and look up what a “bullet train” looks like while playing with a train set. Or look up a comparison to how large an animal is when compared to a person.

Your children will not only find these things fascinating when they’re presented in a fun, light-hearted way – but they’re far more likely to retain the information because of the positivity they start to associate with it.

Make Things a Game

Learning through play can extend well beyond learning-focused toys – you can make almost anything an opportunity to learn! Creating songs and rhymes to help children count, learn their letters, or write their names can be a great way to make learning fun, but also a fantastic way to make learning situations less strenuous and alleviate any pressure your child might feel to get things ‘right’.

There is some serious power to play!

It will be amazing what you and your child can playfully learn together. Your only limit is your imagination!