What should a preschool classroom look like according to research?

I am often asked what I think of certain programs such as Montessori or Waldorf schools and I usually reply that the better question is: what makes a preschool classroom really engaging? We want the best for our children and a strong preschool classroom is not so much about the curriculum but what kinds of experiences in which the students are engaged. What does this look like?

Two words: open play. Studies show us over and over that by playing children develop better math, literacy, and social skills versus direct instruction (Berk, Mann, & Ogan, 2006; Dansky, 1980; Liu, 2017; Russ, 1993, 2004; Saracho, 2002; Fekonja, Umek, & Kranjc, 2005; Fisher et al., 2011; Singer & Singer, 1981) . Specifically, Children should be playing in self-chosen areas and given opportunities for both play and structured activities. As well as guided learning experiences with their teachers in both whole group and small group settings. 

When considering a program or a school for your child, take a look at the materials and whether they are conducive to open play. Are there a wide range of materials for children to freely access? Do you see building materials, writing or drawing utensils, pretend play opportunities (kitchen area, home corner, construction play, etc.), a quiet area for reading, and the invitation to play with sensory material? While open play allows children to practice applying new skills, it also fosters creativity, autonomy, and important social skills (Berk, Mann, & Ogan, 2006; Hirsch-Pasek et al. 2009; Pellis & Pellis, 2009; Tepperman, 2007; Vygotsky, 1978). These areas are not only important for children in preschool (petite and moyenne section), but also for children in kindergarten (grande section). Children do not “age out” of the benefits of play. In a nutshell, everyone needs open play!

If you are still skeptical about the power of play, there is a large body of international research that provides ample evidence on the necessity of play for young children. Here are a couple of studies from Norway and England and a comprehensive research summary from the USA on the power and benefits of play - a must read!

Some parents might be concerned and question if their child is learning anything when it appears they are “just" playing? “If all they do is play all day, what about academics?” Consider the skills children need to be successful in school and in life: This includes analyzing, making decisions and problem solving.  In play-rich classrooms (which have a wide range of open-ended materials, print-filled environments, and sensory experiences) children are constantly using these key critical thinking skills that you can’t get from worksheets (Liu et al, 2017). 

In play-rich classrooms children are deeply engaged in rigorous work. That work may appear like symbolic play, but in reality it is the foundation for interacting with other important symbols, like letters and numbers (White, 2012). When a child, through pretend play, uses a block as a telephone or a stuffed animal as a baby, these children are in the act of symbolic play. This play means that they have to hold in their minds the image of a telephone, what it does, and how it sounds, as they recreate that experience with a block. This is exactly what we ask children to do when they read. The word apple doesn't look like an apple, but those letter symbols call to mind a mental picture of what an apple is. They need to hold in their mind that mental image as they work to read the symbols, arrive at reading the word apple, and comprehend what that means.

When we provide children with play-rich environments, we are helping them to build a library of mental images and practice creating symbols through their play. The testing out of hypotheses and critical thinking that is required in deep play experiences is the most rigorous, important kind of learning that all young children need. 

Play is a topic that I could discuss for hours! I'll stop here for today, but stay tuned for part 2 of this article: what materials to look for in a "maternelle” classroom. There's more to come on this important topic!

Citations:

Berk, L. E., Mann, T. D., & Ogan, A. T. (2006). Make-believe play: Wellspring for development of self-regulation. In D. Singer, R. Golinkoff, & K. Hirsch-Pasek (Eds.). Play = Learning: How play motivates and enhances children’s cognitive and social-emotional growth. New York: Oxford University Press.

Dansky, J. L. (1980). Make-believe: A mediator of the relationship between play and associative fluency. Child Development, 51, 576-579.

Hirsh-Pasek, K., Golinkoff, R. M., Berk, L. E., & Singer, D. G. (2009). A mandate for playful learning in preschool: Applying the scientific evidence. New York: Oxford University Press.

Liu, C., Solis, L., Jensen, H., Hopkins, E, Neale, D., Zosh, J., Hirsh-Pasek, K., & Whitebread, D. (2017) Neuroscience and learning through play: a review of the evidence. The Lego Foundation.

Pellis, S. M., & Pellis V. (2009) The playful brain: Venturing to the limits of neuroscience. Oxford: Oneworld Publications.

Russ, S. (1993). Affect and creativity: The role of affect and play in the creative process. Hillsdale, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates. Russ, S. (2004). Play in child development and psychotherapy: Toward empirically supported practice. Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates.

Saracho, O. (2002). Young children's creativity and pretend play. Early Child Development and Care, 172, 431-438.

Umek, L. M., Podlesek, A., & Fekonja, U. (2005). Assessing the Home Literacy Environment: Relationships to Child Language Comprehension and Expression. European Journal of Psychological Assessment, 21(4), 271–281.

Fisher, K., Hirsch-Pasek, K., Golinkoff, R. M., Singer, D. G. (2011). Playing around in school: Implications for learning and educational policy. In A. Pellegrini (Ed.), The Oxford handbook of the development of play (pp. 341-362). New York: Oxford University Press

Singer, J. L., & Singer, D. G. (1981). Television, imagination, and aggression: A study of preschoolers. Hillsdale, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates.

Tepperman, J. (Ed.) (2007). Play in the early years: Key to school success. [Policy Brief]. El Cerito, CA: Bay Area Early Childhood Funders.

Vygotsky, L. S. (1978). Mind in society: The development of higher psychological functions. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press.

White, R. (2012). The Power of Play: Minnesota Children's Museum.

Jessica Lament is cofounder of School Partners, a boutique non profit organization that provides professional development, instructional coaching, and school leadership coaching for educators in and out of schools in the Paris area.