Play-Based Learning

Sarah Carr reports on a first-of-its-kind study finding that occupational, physical, and speech therapies delivered in early childhood produce measurable academic gains years later — with implications for when and how schools identify children's needs.

What does the research actually say about technology in PreK classrooms? Sal Khan, Dr. Kathy Hirsh-Pasek, and NAEYC CEO Michelle Kang weigh in on how to use digital tools in ways that support — rather than undermine — play, development, and early learning for young children.

Research consistently shows that play-based preschool produces better long-term outcomes than academic preschool — yet the push toward early academics continues. Why?

Research-backed overview of play as a developmental training ground for children, drawing on American Academy of Pediatrics findings to explain how play builds executive function, social-emotional skills, and creativity.

The Children & Nature Network's research digest synthesizes evidence on the benefits of nature-based education for young children's development, school readiness, and long-term wellbeing.

A mixed-methods systematic review synthesising evidence from nine databases on the associations between nature-based early childhood education and children's social, emotional, and cognitive development. Led by Avril Johnstone and colleagues, the review identifies consistent positive associations and maps significant gaps in the research base.

David Groth, a 40-year veteran teacher, uses juggling and classroom stories to demonstrate how play-based learning raises engagement and academic performance, arguing that play is not a break from learning but its most powerful vehicle.

An international movement and resource hub encouraging early childhood educators to move away from plastic toys and screen-heavy environments toward natural, open-ended, loose-part play grounded in Reggio Emilia and Waldorf principles.

A non-profit research and advocacy organization making the case for play, hands-on learning, and childhood freedom in early education. Publishes influential reports on the decline of play in schools and advocates for policy changes that restore creative play to kindergarten and early elementary.