A Pedagogy of Play: Supporting playful learning in classrooms and schools

PUBLISHED: 2023

Resource Summary

Play is at the heart of childhood. Through play, children learn how to collaborate, how to negotiate rules and relationships, and how to imagine and create. They learn to find and solve problems, think flexibly and critically, and communicate effectively. This book, written by researchers at the Harvard Graduate School of Education, draws on cross-cultural, empirical research to explore what it means to embrace play as a core part of learning in school. The authors address three questions: Why do educators need a pedagogy of play? What does playful learning in schools look and feel like? and How can educators promote playful learning? The book includes practices and strategies from the classroom to the staffroom, eight pictures of classroom practice from four countries, and 18 tools for teachers, school leaders, and professional development providers to support playful learning across content areas and age groups.

You can access a free PDF of the book on the right, along with translations available in Spanish, Simplified Chinese, and Traditional Chinese. You can also purchase a physical copy of the book in English, Simplified Chinese, and Traditional Chinese via the Lulu webstore:

For an audio version of the book, click on the podcast link in the resource menu or press play in the player below.