A lot has been written about play based learning. Several individuals whom I respect and love have studied early education for decades and advocate for the use of play in education. I have done none of this research and am not a professional educated in early education.
I am a Mom of four children in the trenches, living and breathing early learning. Play works for me. Play works for my children.
Play is fun and connects us beyond learning letters and numbers! In play based learning, play is taken to the next level by having an adult involved in that play.
Adults can
- make play extension suggestions
- role model activities
- provide fun resources
- create a pro-learning and literature rich environment
Mother Goose Time is Our Favorite For Play Based Learning
Mother Goose Time is our chosen vehicle to make play based learning doable for me while still caring for all the other needs of my young children. This includes, but is not limited to feeding them, washing them, and loving them with all my heart.
Mother Goose Time helps make play based learning possible in our home by:
- supplying interesting materials that spark curiosity and interest
- providing thought provoking prompts that generate conversation and elicit questions from the children
- including simplifications, challenges, and adaptations to help best fit the needs of individual children
The best part? All of it shows up in a box automatically delivered to our door each month. The kids see the Mother Goose Time box and get excited to see what’s inside. They want to know what they are going to get to play with this month!
Mother Goose Time provides daily play options for
- community challenges
- creative endeavors
- literacy
- math
- music and movement
- and STEM
3 Examples of Play Based Learning
Here are three examples of how Mother Goose Time has facilitated learning through play in our home!
1. Sock Puppets with Magnets
Sockfari is one of our favorite books from Mother Goose Time this year! A sweet and lovable blue bear loses his socks in his home. He pretends that his closest is a cave and the blue rug is water. My children found this fantastic. Not only did they enjoy the story and the magnets provided, but they also elaborated on this idea in their pretend play. I provided some extra resources, extension ideas, and got out of the way. They matched sock pairs, created sock animals, and created their own scavenger hunt with unmatched baby socks.
I’m certain you can see the play aspect, but do you also see the learning? By the end of the week even my three year old was matching socks by pattern and color, recognizing colors by name, and sorting by color and size. Imagination and literature inspired free play, done!
2. Giraffe Math Game
Out of the box came a giant, colorful giraffe with foam dots of various sizes. My boys couldn’t wait to get their hands on them. “It’s a game!” I said. “How do I play?” they asked. “You roll the dice and put that many dots on the giraffe.” I was greeted with a chorus of “Let me try! Let me try!”
Sure, they’re playing a game. They are also learning to take turns, count, and recognize numbers. They didn’t learn numbers because someone sat down and told them they had to do so. They figured out numbers because they saw something cool (awesome Mother Goose Time materials) and wanted to know how to play the game. Motivation for learning, accomplished!
3. African Inspired Art Necklace
The inspiration photo had my kids excited before I even introduced any of the art supplies. They had so many questions and were already delving down the cultural differences rabbit hole before I could sit down. I was able to add language and background information to enhance their play and their learning.
The best part of these creative corner activities is how much juicy conversation it starts between the kids and I! I love chatting with them as they create their masterpieces. This one was a make and play activity, so the necklaces were worn and used in imaginative play and of course out to dinner. Self expression, discovery, and awesome conversation, done!
Mother Goose Time Play is Learning
There’s nothing better than seeing my kids excited about learning. Being able to create and play through games and art is a wonderful motivator for my early learners. Mother Goose Time is a great resource for our play based learning style!
Join Us
If you are interested in reading more about our experience with Mother Goose Time, check out our curriculum page!
Find new fun ideas for games and crafts for early childhood when you follow us on Instagram!
Happy Learning!
As a blog ambassador for Mother Goose Time, I am happy to share preschool curriculum ideas, activities, and crafts with my readers. Mother Goose Time provides our family the opportunity to use their curriculum free of charge in exchange for honest and authentic stories based on our personal experience.
