As educators we know that the expectations for our students are different, kindergarten has gone from free choice time to build essential developmental milestones, to teaching double-digit addition. 8th graders are not reading an analyzing Shakespeare, which I didn't do until I was a sophomore in High School. So, as educators, we are trying to meet the standards expected of students that seem to grow every year, and we know that their cognitive needs are not being met. It feels like an uphill battle, and we are seeing even larger gaps in children's educational experiences. So, how do we fix this, where do we start? There is not a one-size-fits-all approach, but incorporating play in the classroom can help improve the development of schema, behavior, and analysis skills in students (Allee-Herndon et al., 2022;& Elkind, 2007; Gil, 2010). I will be showing you ways to implement play into various contents, for various age groups. The methods taught can easily be implemented in morning meetings, content, and during brain breaks. You will learn how powerful play is for all ages.
