Welcome to your August newsletter
Welcome to the monthly newsletter for tickit Play Professionals.
Every month, we share ideas, experiences and practical tips on a particular topic. This month, we’re exploring learning through play and academic learning. Do they really need to be opposites?
Thanks for being here. Happy reading!
In this month's newsletter
Play-based learning and academic learning go hand in hand
Play-based learning and academic learning go hand in hand
Play-based learning and more structured academic learning aren’t competing approaches. Together they provide the foundations for school readiness. Integrating them in early years education helps meet children's social, emotional, physical, academic and cognitive developmental needs.
Developing early literacy and numeracy skills is important, and striking a balance between structured teaching and play provides an effective way to achieve this. Through play-based learning, with educators guiding, observing and scaffolding children's experiences, young learners explore, imagine and interact, developing a wide range of skills along the way.
By encouraging children’s curiosity and natural instinct to explore, educators help them develop resilience and problem-solving skills, encouraging children to keep searching for solutions rather than stopping at the first answer they've found or been taught.
Alongside academic skills, children are also developing a joy of learning, which can support positive wellbeing and help them approach learning with greater confidence.
Creating a learning space rich in interaction
Creating a learning space rich in interaction
A well-designed learning space encourages children to explore, question and discover at their own pace. By creating an environment that invites conversation, collaboration and curiosity, practitioners can support both academic learning and children's wider development.
Simple ways to encourage interaction include:
- Choose open-ended resources that can be used in many different ways, inspiring creativity, problem-solving and imaginative play.
- Create spaces where children can talk, collaborate and learn from one another as they play.
- Give children time to explore independently rather than rushing to provide the answer, so they can learn through trial and error.
- Offer resources that can be enjoyed by children of different abilities and stages of development, allowing every child to engage in their own way.
Three tests for great play resources
hree tests for great play resources
Three tests for great play resources
The most versatile play resources often support multiple areas of learning at once. For example, a simple set of colourful blocks can encourage language development through colour and shape recognition, early maths through sorting and counting, creativity through open-ended construction, and fine motor skills through hands-on play.
From glistening gem blocks to wonderful wooden treasures and smooth metallic balls, the best play resources invite children to pick them up, explore and discover.
So what makes a truly great play resource?
Andrea Storer, Head of Product Development & Research, believes every play resource should pass three simple tests. Does it...
- Inspire, engage and educate by encouraging inquiry-led learning for children of different ages and abilities?
- Support children’s natural curiosity and help them develop confidence as independent learners?
- Spark sustained interest and develop core skills across key areas of learning?
Community Voices
ty Voices
Community Voices
Every edition we share ideas, experiences, insights and practical tips from members of our Play Professionals Community.
Charlotte Longworth has been teaching for 13 years in KS1 and KS2. She has recently moved to EYFS and Reception at her single-form entry primary school, with attached nursery.
Charlotte shares her thoughts and practical classroom tips for striking a balance between academic learning and learning through play.
Learning happens through carefully planned play
Moving into Reception has been one of the most exciting changes in my career. After 13 years in primary education, I've seen how important strong foundations are, and preparing for Reception has given me a whole new appreciation of just how much learning happens through carefully planned play and purposeful interactions.
I've realised that learning through play and academic learning needn't be seen as opposites. When children are given meaningful opportunities to explore, create and investigate, they're developing the communication, language and problem-solving skills that underpin reading, writing and maths. For me, it's about getting the balance right.
Reception children need high-quality direct teaching, especially in areas such as phonics and early maths, but I don't think that structured teaching has to replace play. What excites me about EYFS is the opportunity for children to take what they've learnt in those adult-led sessions and apply it independently through meaningful play. That's where learning becomes purposeful and memorable.
Different approaches suit different children
Every child arrives with different experiences, interests and confidence levels, so the same approach to learning doesn’t work for everyone.
One thing that's really stood out to me is how important it is to know the children well. By following their interests and understanding what motivates them, we can create opportunities that build confidence while gently challenging them to take the next step in their learning.
Observe play AND become part of it
As I've been preparing my classroom for September, I've focused on creating a calm, cosy environment with natural resources and open-ended provision that encourages curiosity. My hope is that children will feel excited to explore, while adults make the most of quality interactions to extend their thinking through play.
One approach that's really shaped my thinking is ShREC (Share Attention, Respond, Expand and Conversation). It's really influenced the way I'm planning my classroom and my interactions with children. Rather than simply observing play, we become part of it. Through sustained shared thinking, modelling language, introducing new vocabulary and asking thoughtful questions, we can make everyday moments even more meaningful.
Putting it all into practice in the classroom
One area I'm particularly excited about is our investigation area. Rather than setting activities with one right answer, I'm planning to provide natural resources, loose parts, magnifying glasses, clipboards and simple prompts such as, "What do you notice?" My aim is to encourage children to ask questions, think deeply and become curious learners.
As English Lead, books have always been at the heart of my teaching, and that's something I'm taking with me into Reception. I've intentionally planned for books to be available in every area of the classroom, not just the book corner, so they can inspire role play, construction, small world play, investigations and writing. I want stories to become part of children's everyday play rather than something that's only shared on the carpet.
One of my biggest time-saving tips is to stop feeling like you need to reinvent your provision every week. Keep your core areas the same and simply refresh them with one new addition, whether that's a basket of natural resources, a few loose parts, a quality story or a simple question to spark curiosity.
It’s a quick win! Children don't need brand new activities every day. Small tweaks to familiar provision often lead to the richest conversations and most meaningful play, while saving valuable planning time.
Visit Charlottes Instagram page for inspiring EYFS classroom ideas!
Thank you for reading and for being part of our tickit Play Professionals community 💞
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