See how educators design play-rich environments for early learners.   

BY HEJIRA CONVERY, KINDICARE

AUGUST 30, 2023

Play is a huge part of the childcare day, because it’s how young children learn best; and as with many things, variety is key.  

Little learners need plenty of opportunities for imaginative play, where they craft their own tales in different ways.

They need physical play for movement.

And they need lots of social play, too, where they interact with their peers. 

Along the way, tangible things, like toys, dress-up boxes and slippery slides support children’s play during the childcare day, but the unspoken hero in all great play experiences is the childcare environment! 

We can actually think of our environment as the ‘Third Teacher’ of our children, behind us parents and our amazing educators, and this is because a carefully designed environment will bring interest, investigation and joy to young children’s adventures.  

A rich and varied environment will foster a playful spirit – that magical thing that gets children genuinely interested in stuff – and ‘environment’ in this context doesn’t mean bricks and mortar (or soft fall and woodchips!). 

Instead, it’s the pace and possibilities a setting offers, and quality educators know how to carefully create an environment where play will flourish. 

Someone who can explain all of this in more detail, is Lukas Ritson.  

Lukas is a play expert and playground designer who runs Wearthy, and with past experience as an educator and two kids of his own, he knows how important it is to immerse young children in a play-rich early learning environment. 

Lukas builds incredible nature-based playgrounds for services (which definitely support children’s playful spirit), but he’s the first to acknowledge that fostering a play-rich environment doesn’t start with snazzy equipment and sparkly resources.  

Instead, this kind of environment rests on three things that can’t be built or bought: 

• Time 
• Freedom, and 
• Possibilities.  

Quality educators create early learning environments with these pillars in mind, and they implement this thinking in real ways to make each day richer and more playful for young children – whether the facilities and resources are brand-new or of an older vintage. 

So, how does one actually craft a play-rich environment? 

Well, for starters, Lukas says educators can ensure that children get as much uninterrupted time as possible for play.  

He explains that ‘free time’ allows children to really immerse themselves in their imaginative worlds, building continuity and depth in their play experiences.  

“Within these prolonged moments of play. Children often find themselves engrossed in activities like fort-building or role playing, leading their own narrative, which is great for their cognitive and social development.” 

In play-rich environments, children are also given the freedom to navigate and engage with their own play experiences. 

Lukas says, “This involves more than just moving. It's about understanding their bodies and the space they inhabit. For example, when they learn about balance and limits on a climbing frame. It also includes the freedom to explore natural environments, allowing children to soak in their surroundings and curiosities, and offering its own set of learning experiences.” 

And, rounding out the three pillars, fostering play also involves educators introducing possibilities into the childcare environment. 

In practice, this means giving children the autonomy to change and adapt the resources around them; and Lukas says loose parts play is a perfect example of this principle, because, “It invites children to reimagine and reconstruct their surroundings, encouraging creativity and problem-solving.”   

With these cornerstones in place, some brilliant child-led play can happen, and this is very good news for under-fives’ learning and development. 

Diverse play experiences make each childcare day fun and interesting for little learners, and these experiences also matter for the years ahead.  

Lukas explains that, “These early engagements in play are pivotal, because they shape cognitive, emotional, and social growth, influencing who children become in adulthood.” 

All kinds of play help to lay the foundation for a lifetime of learning and resilience, so it is really important that young children spend their days in settings that spark their playful spirit. 

And, as we’ve seen above, this comes down to the people, as much as the place. 

Lukas says, “Quality educators understand that it’s not up to them to create the play for children, but to create an environment where play flourishes,” and this is something you can apply at home as well, by giving your little one time, freedom and amazing opportunities to play! 

To find highly-rated childcare in your area, search KindiCare, and to learn more about the importance of play, tune in to the Wearthy podcast.