S T E M
I N S I G H T S
F R O M
E V I D E N C E
THE POWER OF PLAY IN PRIMARY CLASSROOMS DR STEPHANIE SMITH
Background
The Evolution of the Play Program
It has been six years since I submitted my
The program began with my Year Two class, in a
doctorial thesis Playing to Engage: Fostering
big school, as a Friday afternoon activity. During
engagement for children and teachers in low
the sessions the children engaged with a variety
socioeconomic
and
of activities including play dough, Lego, jigsaw
mathematics play-based learning. This article
puzzles, a variety of craft activities, board games,
explores where it all began, practical play-based
role-plays and so much more. This quickly evolved
learning
the
into another Year 2 class joining in and the
classroom and what I learnt through my journey,
sessions expanding to multiple offerings across
much of which still inspires my work to this day.
the week at different times during the day.
regions
examples
to
through
science
implement
into
I completed my thesis over four years whilst
Eventually on Fridays all three Year 2 classes
working fulltime as a classroom teacher in a low
would engaging in the sessions with over 60
socio-economic primary school located in south-
children
west Sydney. My research was based on my
together. Once the program had been well
everyday teaching practice, the delivery of a
established across Year 2, we began to extend
professional
the
invitations to classes in the school’s Support Unit.
implementation of a play-based learning sessions
Each Friday a group of between four to eight
across lower primary. I had the great privilege of
children, in Year 1 and 2, would join our classes.
learning
package
and
team teaching during this time, as well as having the
expertise
of
our
school
EAL/D
teacher
connecting,
sharing
and
playing
This then progressed to the whole of lower primary implementing play sessions across their
collaborating with us. The prime driver of the
classes.
research was supporting children and teachers to
together to undertake sessions, with all of the
feel
Kindergarten teachers running sessions together,
more
science
confident
and
in
delivering
mathematics
activities,
play-based but
The
teachers
instinctively
grouped
not
the Year 1 classes also playing together. This
unsurprisingly they quickly discovered that play
allowed for the teachers to pool together their
could easily be integrated across the curriculum.
resources, share ideas for activities, work as a collaborative team and reflect on the process. It also meant that children were able to mix with
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