The Power of Play

As preschool students enter their Tumtum classroom on a warm June morning, they find a table full of string, paper, scissors and tape. A three-year-old student turns to preschool teacher Deborah Simons and asks “How do I make a heart shape kite? Another voice pops up with “How do I make a diamond kite?” The soft-spoken preschool teacher asks questions, offers some ideas, and then the children are off creating. They take their handcut kites taped to string out to the Imagination Playground where they run across the naturescape. “Wait...if I had more string, it might go higher.” Back to the classroom they go, for longer string and more tape, discussing with each other what they can do to change their kites. Soon after, another child runs back in for something to wrap his string on, to get it out of the way when he runs. Off he goes with a toilet paper tube from the art area and begins wrapping his kite string to keep from tripping.

“Today the kids came in to class and they were really interested in kites,” teacher Deborah explains. “I gave them materials, a little bit of support, then stepped back and let them run with it. They used the resources around the classroom to create something, then as they wondered why it wasn’t working—they were able to engage in the process of inquiry and try solutions. Meanwhile, they were practicing fine motor skills, and thinking through the process of creating something.”

“Play is not frivolous, but a child’s work, important to their social, emotional and cognitive development,” says Betsy-Jager Lee, preschool teacher and Director of Early Childhood at The Gardner School. Early Childhood, defined as ages three to five, is a time of rapid, cumulative and crucial brain development, laying the base for all further learning.

Betsy says, “When a child is given the opportunity and space to follow their interests and ideas—they are the most engaged—utilizing and practicing executive function skills.”

Teacher Deborah tells of a recent interest her Tumtum students expressed — submarines—after learning about air, land and water. “They were really fascinated with the idea that there was a vehicle that could go completely underwater,” she said. Deborah enlisted the help of Gardner parent and former submarine engineer Andy Fields, who came in to read to the students about submarines. “This in turn brought on even more questions,” she said. Deborah brought in a bunch of empty water bottles, and the kids went outside to fill a couple tubs of water so they could explore the question, “How do things float, and how do they sink?”

The three-year-olds experimented with their handmade “submarines,” adding water, adding marbles and rock, and even throwing them in the water to see if they would sink. Soon they began thinking of adding propellers and engines. “It was all them,” said Deborah. “It was what they were interested in, and as teachers we just supplied them with the water bottles. It was student led, running with their interests and their curiosity.”

Within play, children are creating and experimenting with their own rules, testing and exploring the potential and the limitations of materials. They experience the process of bringing an idea to life, and they are experiencing cause and effect with materials and people.

With the submarine exploration, students had to navigate the social conflict that arose from their play. “Experimenting and playing can be messy, so you have to work

through it,” says teacher Deborah. “Some kids wanted to throw the water bottles in the water, but some kids didn’t want to get wet from the splashing so we had to work it out. I asked ‘what can we do?’” Deborah says when asked that simple question kids come up with all kinds of solutions. They might just move and fill up another tub, or decide to take turns, or head off to the sandbox instead.

The environment of play gives a young child the unique experience of being completely in control of their world and the process, developing their awareness of self and autonomy as a learner and an individual.

“This is so essential during early childhood, when children are often controlled and managed by the adult world around them,” says teacher Betsy.

“Children should be given space— physically, emotionally and verbally. We should allow them to try different ways to do something, without us solving it for them,” says Betsy. “In the early childhood classrooms at Gardner, we give them space to not only choose what they engage in, but choice in how they express themselves.” She says choice is a powerful element in the development of their identity, and needs to be a common thread throughout a child’s education.

“We also give children space to fully develop an idea as it evolves, without our judgement or praise,” says Betsy. “And, we give them space to practice working through social conflicts as they develop new skills and build relationships, without us solving them.”

“This doesn’t mean that we are not there,” says Betsy. “We are there to support and be present both physically and mentally with them. We are there to value their ideas and empower their words. Space means that we are thoughtful and meaningful with our presence and words to support and guide versus interrupt the child’s process.”

According to teacher Betsy, “Sometimes

it is more about what you don’t say than what you say. Sometimes it is more about listening, acknowledging the process and asking open-ended questions.”

Walk into either the Tumtum or the Mazama classroom at Gardner, and you’ll see a space that is arranged in logical areas. Materials are developmentally appropriate, open-ended and natural. You’ll see that areas for building, dramatic play, art, library and sensory are arranged in a way that encourages fluid movement between types of play and materials. “If a student wants a steering wheel for the car they built in the building area they may go to the art area to create one,” says teacher Betsy. “The costumes and pretend food may migrate from the dramatic play area to the building area—and that’s play in action.”

Teacher Deborah says that in their classrooms things are their size and at their level and are all developmentally appropriate for them. “It’s a place away from all the no’s—in our classroom everything is for them. It is set up for them, and it’s a ‘yes, this is for you to explore.’ This gives them feelings of success, which develops their independence and confidence.”

Harvard Educator Tony Wagner writes in Creating Innovators, “In order for children to grow creatively and be able to be the next innovators, they need to play today to develop a sense of purpose, which will in turn become passion in the future.” With an environment like Gardner provides, children are empowered to play—and empowered through play.

Passionate about rhythm and drums, Cian and Wyatt use sticks, pots and pans to create their own drumset and collaborate on their own music. “Materials in the Imagination Playground look purposely simple. A stick can be a drumstick or it can be an bridge,” says preschool teacher Betsy Jager-Lee. “With natural open-ended materials, play is only limited by a child’s imagination.”

Laban brings dinosaurs over to play in “Mud City,” a space in the Imagination Playground where students have dug channels, created bridges using boards, and where they explore water and mud together.

Harper uses “loose parts” to create a rainforest. Blue magnatiles were used for water, and she chose animals to inhabit it. Students use “loose parts” in a multitude of ways.

After showing their excitement about color and potions in a separate activity, Sal and Seth took water, vinegar, baking soda, beakers and eyedroppers to play with and experience in another way. “We follow children’s interests,” says teacher Betsy, “and give them real materials to explore.”

Julie works by herself with “loose parts” on the classroom light table. The early childhood classrooms at Gardner allow for collaboration with other students, but also include space for independent investigation.

Seth explores movement of water in Mud City, as he learns about the properties of water and its power to cause erosion.

Eva and Maya interact with paper and its movement. “Curiosity is at the core of our program,” says teacher Betsy. “It’s important that we give children the space to be curious.”

Pretend play allows kids to understand the world around them, and explore their role in the world. Often, children reenact things from their own life as a way of understanding them.