1. The Value of Play 2. The Types of Play 3. Designing Your Play Space with the Types of Play

1. How Playgrounds Can Help Teachers
Increase Student Learning
Presented by Grounds For Play

2. Agenda
The Value of Play
1
2
Types of Play
3
Designing Your Play Space
with the Types of Play

3. Unit One
The Value of Play

4. Unit One: The Value of Play
• Essential to the social aspects of the
academic setting.
Helps children adjust to the academic setting
socially by enhancing learning readiness and
behavior
What does research
say about play?
• Children are more attentive and
productive.
Children have time to refocus
cognitively when they engage in short
periods of play
• Has great physical benefits.
Play helps to counteract the sedentary
time spent in the classroom
*From the American Academy of Pediatrics

5. Unit One: The Value of Play
Poll: Have you noticed higher
classroom attentiveness after
recess or a play activity?

7. Unit Two
Types of Play
Unit Two
Types of Play

8. GFP Sales Training
Nature Play and
Outdoor Classroom
Dramatic PlayPhysical Play
Musical & Artistic
Play
Unit Two: The Types of Play
Types of Play as Seen in a School Setting

9. GFP Sales Training
• Helps with muscle development.
Strengthens the body and develops gross
motor skills
Physical Play
Unit One: Types of Play
• Provides children with a sense
of environment and limitations.
Affords many learning opportunities in
adaptability, flexibility, and resilience
• Sculpts the brain.
Prepares the brain for learning by
promoting enhanced concentration
and learning in the classroom

10. GFP Sales Training
Unit Two: Types of Play
Dramatic Play
• Builds teamwork.
Influences teamwork, improvisation,
and social skills
• Effects are seen in the
classroom.
Correlation between dramatic play and
better literacy and reading skills
• Helps develop important
developmental skills.
Impacts social, linguistic, emotional,
and cognitive skills

11. Unit Two: Types of Play
GFP Sales Training
• Develops creativeness and
self-expression.
Children access their playfulness, creativity,
and innovative spirits
Music and Art Play
• Helps develop much needed
skills.
Impacts fine motor and cognitive skills
• Helps with academic
performance.
Facilitates academic achievement by
boosting memory, math, reading, and
language skills

12. GFP Sales Training
• Improves a child’s health.
Impacts social, emotional, and physical health
Nature and the
Outdoor Classroom
Unit Two: Types of Play
• Connects children with the
natural world.
Encourages children to explore and
understand nature
• Has many educational benefits.
Directly correlates with the subjects of
science, social studies, and even math

13. Unit Two: Types of Play

14. Unit Three
Designing Your Play Space
with the Types of Play

15. Unit Three: Designing Your Play Space
GFP Sales Training
Dramatic Play
Physical Play
Physical Play
Physical Play
Dramatic Play
An Outdoor Learning Environment is an extension of the classroom that enriches the
learning experience of children from infants up to school-age through skill development
in social, emotional, language, cognitive, and motor/physical domains.
5-12/School Age
2-5/Pre-School
6-23 Months/Toddler

16. GFP Sales Training
Unit Three: Designing Your Play Space
• Challenging but accessible.
Items should be challenging for both
crawling and walking infants but low to
the ground for easy access and support
Infants & Toddlers
6-23 Months
• Support developing skills.
Most infant and toddler play areas will
speak to the physical type of play,
developing fine and gross motor skills
Introduce play panels for learning
opportunities, such as shape recognition
and sensory development
• Provide high visibility for
supervisors.
Infants and toddlers require close supervision

17. GFP Sales Training
Unit Three: Designing Your Play Space
• Build self-esteem.
Play area should build self-esteem by giving
opportunities for success through skilled play
activities, such as a shape identification panel
Preschool
2-5 Years
• Allow them to play creatively.
Children should use their imaginations,
explore emotions, and build language
through dramatic play
• Provide learning opportunities.
In addition to the much needed
physical play, provide sensory and
musical learning opportunities

18. GFP Sales Training
Unit Three: Designing Your Play Space
• Encourage physical activity.
Slides, climbers, swings, and open spaces
encourage the physical play a 5-12 year old
needs for overall physical development
School Age
5-12 Years
• Choose the right components
for school-agers’ rapid growth.
Components should encourage upper
body strength, cardiovascular fitness,
coordination, and balance
• Recognize social cues and
norms.
The play environment should
encourage role playing through
dramatic play areas

19. Unit Three: Designing Your Play Space
Free Response Poll: What type of
play or play components are
appropriate for school-aged children?

21. Q&A