The Power of Play

Do you remember how you used to play? Maybe you ran a grocery store, maybe you galloped around flipping your mane over your shoulder and pretending to eat grass, or did battle reenactments with Barbies. All of these play activities reinforced social, emotional, and motor learning - we never stopped developing our brains outside the classroom. A lot of what constitutes play is the “testing out” of new ideas, social situations, and physical movements. 

There is a wealth of scientific studies backing up the importance of play in education (this clinical report is a great summation of some of these findings) and play-based learning is increasingly being implemented in modern classrooms. The Reggio Emilia approach in particular favors project-based learning, a fluid and changing curriculum based on children's interests, and collaborative projects between students and teachers. The goal of this type of educational structure is to create independence and intrinsic drive in children, rather than reinforcing a need for external motivation, like praise or material reward. 

Much of our curriculum is inspired by this child-driven education philosophy. In our studio, we show how tools can be used and properly cared for, giving the scaffolding for independent discovery while letting children be free from expectations of fitting a mold or creating an exact replica.

Emphasizing play doesn't mean lessons are completely unstructured, or that high achievement isn't valued. In my most advanced classes, students are taught the importance of copying master works. On the surface, copying can seem like an exercise in conformity, the opposite of play. But explaining how copying helps us learn, and allowing students to copy an art piece that speaks to them personally or focus on specific areas they're curious about (shape, color, composition) creates room for developing personal taste, and gives them autonomy while encouraging high effort and mastery. Students achieve growth because it's personally fulfilling, not because they're seeking validation from their teachers or parents. I frequently tell my students that the way to master drawing is to figure out what you love to draw, because then you'll never want to stop practicing.

Play is important in our adult lives, as well. Exercising curiosity and critical thinking while experimenting in a low-stakes environment helps strengthen our life skills that we use in times when it really counts. Whether you find your state of play participating in a team sport, dancing to music, gaming, or experimenting in a creative medium, you're engaging learning pathways in your brain. Think about some ways you might be engaging in play, or if you're not: how can you incorporate more play into your life?