The Power of Playful Learning in Early Education: How Guided Play Sparks Social and Academic Outcomes by Kathy Hirsh-Pasek

This session is part of the Follett Growing Readers Series

Yale Professor Ed Zeigler wrote that “play is under siege.” In 1981 40% of a child’s discretionary time was spent in play. By 1997 that time had already decreased to 25%. In the last two decades children have lost 8 hours of free play per week and thousands of schools in the United States have eliminated recess to make time for more academic study (Elkind, 2008). Ironically, our children have not profited from this extra “educational” time, nor from the so-called educational toys. Recent international tests of 14-year olds suggest that we rank 17th among industrialized nations in reading behind Poland and Japan. We rank 30th in math, 13 slots behind Estonia. And in science we stand at a paltry 23rd. Our educational performance has been called a national security risk and a special issue of Newsweek decried that we also suffer from a creativity crisis at the very time that 21st Century skills highlight the need for innovation, flexible thinking and creative innovation.

In this webinar, presented by preeminent Professor and Author, Kathy Hirsch-Pasek, implores us to reexamine the importance of free play and playful learning as a catalyst for developing 21st Century Skills. It also introduces a new concept of guided play that has been shown to help children target particular outcomes. Thus, using science as a base, Dr.Pasek will argue that particular types of play can offer an important context for growing child’s academic, social and physical well-being. Qualities that spur the global marketplace can be developed in the sandbox where play and playful learning are valued and where children learn in active, engaged and meaningful ways. Play and learning are not incompatible. It is time to escape from the illusion that education is solely about memorizing factoids and drilling flashcards. It is time to embrace the way that playful learning can enhance critical skills both in and out of school.

Attend this session and you will be entered to win a CUSTOM Door prize from Follett Early Learning!

When you attend the Growing Readers Series webinars, you will automatically have a chance to win a collection of books and/or other resources customized to your specifications with the personalized expert guidance of the literacy specialists at Follett Early Learning.