Learning through Play: Creating a play-based approach within early childhood contexts

The vision for this text was born from the belief that, by contributing to the creation of a sharedunderstanding of play and play- based pedagogies, we could positively influence the everyday practicesof educators and improve the learning experiences of children. As a profession, if we are to effectivelyadvocate for play as the context for children’s learning, we must all speak the same language. Thedevelopment of this text has sought to address this need for a shared language. Central to its aim is theinclusion of contextualised examples for educators in Australia. The first purpose of the text, therefore,is to articulate the necessity of play in the early years. The second purpose is to provide guidance onhow play- based pedagogies can be planned and implemented in early years contexts. It is hoped thatthe text provokes reflection on contemporary practices, as well as discussion and debate on futurepractices.To facilitate its use either within individual units of study or across a course, the text is divided intofour parts. Part 1, the initial three chapters, provides a discussion on the centrality of play to children’sdevelopment and learning by drawing on a range of theories and perspectives on play. Part 2 addressesthe role of the indoor and outdoor environments within a play- based approach. Research literature isreviewed when considering how the environment can be intentionally constructed to provide childrenwith learning opportunities that align with a play- based pedagogy. Part 3 discusses the implicationsof policy on practice and addresses the professional expectations of planning and documentation ofchildren’s learning within a play- based approach. The last four chapters of the text, Part 4, considersome of the issues, challenges and opportunities that may arise when implementing a play- basedapproach. Issues of diversity and technology are investigated and international perspectives— andwhat they have to offer us— are also explored. Finally, the text concludes with a discussion about the future of play in early childhood contexts. It is hoped that this text is embraced as a cornerstone early years resource— one that is widely adopted across early childhood education courses. It is structured to complement early childhood education studies by investigating theoretical understandings and perspectives of play initially, before moving to the practicalities and subsequent challenges of implementing play- based approaches. The authors have endeavoured to produce a text that assists those in early childhood education to confidently plan and implement rich play- based approaches. It is a further hope that the knowledge educators gain from their engagement with this text will support them to advocate articulately for play-based approaches in the early years.