Navigating the Play Spectrum
Free play, guided play, games, and direct instruction
Did you catch last week’s discussion on guided play? Research shows it’s the most effective way to support early learning in young children. In fact, it’s the foundation of the play prompts in the Play By Play guide!
If you’re wondering why guided play stands out as the best approach, you’re in the right place. In this post, we’ll explore:
What is Playful Learning? The five key characteristics.
What is the Play Spectrum? The four types of play.
Why is Guided Play the best approach? The one that really matters.
As always, we’re delivering the essential information in a parent-friendly way, with practical examples and action steps. Our goal? To leave you not only informed but also equipped to put these strategies into action.
WHAT IS PLAYFUL LEARNING?
Playful learning is a dynamic approach that aligns with how young brains learn best. According to Wright et al. (2022), it embodies key learning experiences that foster engagement and growth.
Zosh et al. (2017) identified five characteristics of playful learning. While all five may not be present in every moment, children should experience them over time.
PLAYFUL LEARNING IS:
JOYFUL
Emotions play a significant role in learning. Joy and interest are the driving forces behind play!
Action Steps:
Engage in activities with your child for the pure enjoyment of them.
Participate in shared interests or leisure activities together.
Celebrate moments of excitement, perseverance, and success together.
MEANINGFUL
We love this one! Children learn best when they can connect new information to what they already know.
Action Steps:
Show interest in your child’s activities by engaging in conversation about them.
Expand on their language by restating and adding new words.
Help your child bridge connections between learning at home, school, and in the community.
Read books and sing songs that introduce novel vocabulary.
ACTIVELY ENGAGING
The more hands-on the experience, the better!
Action Steps:
Incorporate the natural elements—water, fire, earth, and air—into play. Wash the windows, build a fort and read by a flashlight, mix dough for modeling clay, or fly a kite!
Use wordless picture books to encourage storytelling and creativity. We like this one and this one.
Explore the outdoors and engage your child’s senses. What can you see, feel, hear, smell, or taste.
ITERATIVE
Mistakes lead to deeper learning. Iterative learning takes place as children try, fail, and try again. Through that trial and error, children refine their skills.
The best example I can give you for what this could look like is a puzzle. The first time a child engages in a 12 piece puzzle, they might experiment by matching random pieces together. Given some guidance, they learn to find the corners. The next time, they might understand the difference between outside pieces (straight edge) and inside pieces. Over time, as they continue to engage, they’re able to build on their skills and understanding of how a puzzle works.
Action Steps:
Encourage a growth mindset: Try > Fail > Evaluate > Refine
Model perseverance and problem-solving strategies. Use a “think aloud” strategy to talk about possible solutions.
SOCIALLY INTERACTIVE
Most play involves others, and for young children, parents are the most important play partners.
Action Steps:
Set up a pretend restaurant. Use a table cloth and light a candle. Create a menu together and set the table. For fun, who would you like to be? A hostess, server, or chef? Take orders, cook, and fill water glasses.
Join in play based on your child’s interests. What do they prefer? Princesses or superheroes? Inventions, buildings, or art?
Use books to talk about emotions and relate them to your own personal experiences.
We love talking about play and could easily go on and on, but we want to keep this topic as focused as possible. If you’d like to learn more about each of the characteristics, read this article (pp. 21-44). And if there’s a specific one you need more support with, we’d love to help. You can submit your questions here.
What is The Play Spectrum?
Researchers categorize playful learning into four types: free play, guided play, games, and direct instruction (Zosh et al., 2017). Notably, three out of the four are play!
Free Play – Completely child-led, with no adult intervention.
Guided Play – Child-led, but adults provide subtle guidance to support learning.
Games – Structured activities with rules and goals.
Direct Instruction – Fully adult-led and is not considered play.
Adapted from The Play Spectrum (as seen in Zosh et al., 2017)
Let’s explore each type:
01. FREE PLAY
The child has full control over the activity and how they engage.
Example: A child builds a ramp with blocks for toy cars while the parent observes without interfering.
02. GUIDED PLAY
It’s child-led with adult guidance to enhance learning.
Example: A child plays with a Potato Head toy, naming body parts. The parent joins in, adding information: “Yes, that’s a nose! We use our nose to smell.”
03. GAMES
Games are exactly what it sounds like. It could be a board game or a game like hide and seek. There are set rules and limitations set on play within the context of the game.
Example: The parent sets up a board game to play with the child. They interact and follow the rules of the game while having fun. The game is leading the goal based on the structured rules.
04. DIRECT INSTRUCTION
This is fully controlled by adults and not considered play.
Example: A parent uses flashcards to teach colors, prompting the child to repeat the names.
WHY IS GUIDED PLAY THE BEST APPROACH TO PLAY?
Simply put, guided play incorporates all the characteristics of playful learning (joyful, meaningful, actively engaging, iterative, and socially interactive) while balancing child and adult involvement. It’s the optimal choice for fostering development!
Action Steps to Practice Guided Play:
Let your child choose an activity—no prep needed!
Comment naturally on their play.
Add meaningful words and concepts that are relevant to their activity.
Elevate their learning by adding new vocabulary or skills.
WHAT ABOUT FREE PLAY, GAMES, and DIRECT INSTRUCTION?
Each has its place depending on your child’s needs and your goals:
Free Play is great for independent exploration but not enough on its own for children with speech or language delays.
Games are fun and structured ways to learn through play.
Direct Instruction is not play. It is direct instruction. Again, it has its place, but we want to encourage you to be mindful that some activities (like worksheets) may seem playful but they often remove skills from real-life context.
Let’s review:
Playful learning occurs when it’s a joyful experience, meaningful to the child, actively engaging, promotes learning, and is socially interactive.
All the research agrees that learning through play can happen during (1) free play, (2) guided play, and (3) games.
Learning can also happen through direct instruction, but it’s important to note that direct instruction is not play. It’s direct instruction.
Thanks for reading! We want to close today with this quote by developmental psychologist, Peter Gray. Free to Learn
“PERHAPS PLAY WOULD BE MORE RESPECTED IF WE CALLED IT SOMETHING LIKE “SELF-MOTIVATED PRACTICE OF LIFE SKILLS,” BUT THAT WOULD REMOVE THE LIGHTHEARTEDNESS FROM IT AND THEREBY REDUCE ITS EFFECTIVENESS. SO, WE ARE STUCK WITH THE PARADOX. WE MUST ACCEPT PLAY’S TRIVIALITY IN ORDER TO REALIZE ITS PROFUNDITY.”
He highlights the paradox of play—it’s often seen as trivial or unimportant, but in reality, it’s a profound and essential way for children to learn.
We would love to hear your thoughts! Feel free to leave a comment, and don’t forget that each new post comes on Wednesdays. We also have a subscriber chat — Whether you're wondering about milestones, play ideas, or just need a little reassurance, we thought it would be helpful to create a space for you to get questions answered and connect with other parents who value learning through play. Thanks for being here!
Sources:
Zosh, J. M., Hopkins, E.J., Jensen, H., Liu, C., Neale, D., Hirsh-Pasek, K., Solis, S.L., & Whitebread, D. (2017). Learning through play: a review of the evidence (white paper). The LEGO Foundation, DK.
Wright, C.A., Hirsh-Pasek, K., & Thomsen, B.S. (2022). Playful Learning and Joyful Parenting [White paper]. The Lego Foundation. www.learningthroughplay.com