While there is a strong emphasis on academia and certain curriculums throughout international schools in Asia, play-based learning for younger children is quickly becoming the go-to for parents all around the world.
Have you heard that letting your child play is one of the best ways for them to learn but don’t quite understand why?
Keep reading to find out more about the importance and benefits of playing and learning in early childhood education and why we, at First Steps believe it’s essential to helping your child develop.
Why Is Play-Based Learning Important For Young Children?
Giving children the opportunity to play is so important in helping them develop the social, emotional, physical and cognitive skills they’ll need for their future. When you allow your child to learn through unstructured play, they develop their imagination, learn to be creative, increase their language skills and acquisition, and so much more!
When given the opportunity to play at school (or outside of it), your child learns so much more about themselves and what they like or dislike, what they’re capable of doing, the limitations they might have, and they learn from others around them too.
The Main Benefits of Play for Your Child
While there are many benefits to play, in essence, the advantage of play positively contributes to your child’s cognitive, physical, and emotional and social well-being. When they learn new skills through play, they become well-rounded children and better students.
Cognitive Benefits
While playing, your child is constantly encouraged to think and strengthen their cognitive skills such as:
- Creativity
- Imagination
- Memory
- Problem-solving
- Reading
- Attention
- Focusing
- Communication & Language
Physical Benefits
Being active and playing is always great for your child’s physical well-being! While at school, being physically active helps them:
- Release the stored up energy they get while learning inside
- Build and master important motor, coordination, and balance skills.
- Strengthen their bones, muscles, lungs, and heart!
Social & Emotional Benefits
Being surrounded by other children while playing means your child will learn to socialize independently with their peers. While playing with others, your child will learn to:
- Problem-solve and use their conflict resolution skills when disagreements arise.
- Work with others through teamwork, cooperation, compromise, and collaboration.
- Healthily cope with emotions such as frustration, anger, excitement and much more!
At First and Future Steps International School, children thrive in our safe and welcoming environment. Whether it be in the classroom, in the garden, on the bike track or in the pool, children are supported to learn everyday through their play. I am lucky to see first hand how relationships are built between our students, from all nationalities. Play transcends language barriers and it is a joy to watch children learn more about themselves and their friends as they play together. To watch children, engrossed in their play, taking risks and overcoming challenges is one of the best parts of my job!
“Our school is in the heart of Bangkok and within walking distance for many of our families. This means that after school, children and parents use our wonderful green facilities to play and chat together. Making friends as a parent can be much more difficult than for friends and we are here to help with that. We see ourselves as a bridge for the community, bringing people together in our garden, downtown. Seeing families and children playing together after school is one of the highlights of my day – I love that they do not want to leave!”
Emma Mulligan, Head of School
How we Integrate Play into our Curriculum at The First Steps
At FSB, we follow the British Early Years Foundation Stage framework (EYFS). Our well-balanced, carefully-planned curriculum enables your child to progress towards Primary School. Work is planned through the seven areas of learning, where language, numeracy, social, physical, scientific and technological skills are provided for and developed through conversation, discussion, questioning, reasoning, stories, rhymes, books, social play, games and outdoor activities.
In our early Years French and German immersion programmes, children are also playing, in their native language, doubling the benefits!
Almost all of our activities are based on structured play and exploring which allows your child to develop their essential skills and progress at their own speed. Play-based learning also ensures wide-ranging and first hand experiences for all based on your child’s interests and needs. Learning is carefully differentiated to cater for individual needs as we want your child to develop their independence and confidence alongside personal, social and academic progress.
Contact us for a Personalised Tour
Now that you’re aware of the many benefits of play, why not take a school tour of FSB to see for yourself how we encourage playing throughout the day!? Get in touch with us today to schedule your own personalized tour.
