How our play-based preschool programs foster cognitive and social development in young children

All it takes is a set of wood blocks, a tree to climb, or a couple of friends. When given the opportunity, young children are naturally drawn into immersive, imaginative, and creative play.

In Waldorf early childhood education, play is at the center of the day’s activities—and for good reason. For young children, play is more than just enjoyable; it is essential to their growth.

There is a wide breadth of research that shows free, unstructured, and imaginative play is essential to a child’s cognitive, emotional, and social development. In fact, the American Academy of Pediatrics released a clinical report in 2012 outlining the fundamental importance of play. “Play offers more than cherished memories of growing up, it allows children to develop creativity and imagination while developing physical, cognitive, and emotional strengths,” the AAP wrote. Childhood play is even linked to a longer life expectancy!

Here are some of the key benefits of unstructured play time for young children.

Encourages Cognitive and Brain Development
Children are hardwired to play. More than any other activity, play naturally stimulates a child’s neural pathways, encouraging healthy cognitive and brain development. Researchers have found that free, unstructured play builds connections in the prefrontal cortex, the brain’s executive control center.

Builds Social Skills and Self-Control
From rocking on a seesaw to setting up a tea party, play is how children learn to interact with one another, building essential skills in cooperation, conflict resolution, self-regulation, and communication. Crucially, these skills continue to serve the child for years into the future, with research showing that children who engage in unstructured play in the toddler and preschool years had better self-regulation abilities at ages 4–5 and 6–7 years.

Develops Creativity and Problem-Solving Skills
Children are naturally curious. By allowing them to play freely—with adult supervision but without adult direction—they learn to express themselves and use their imagination. They also learn to develop important problem-solving skills, by thinking up solutions to their own problems, like how to stack a pile of boxes and sticks to build a fort. In an article in the journal Pediatrics, the authors explain, “When play is allowed to be child driven, children practice decision-making skills, move at their own pace, discover their own areas of interest, and ultimately engage fully in the passions they wish to pursue.”

Supports Physical Health
Skipping, jumping, swinging, grasping, stacking, balancing! Play helps young children develop both fine and gross motor skills while exploring their own interests and imagination. Play is also a natural opportunity to promote movement and physical expression in children.

Improves Language Skills and Literacy
There is ample evidence that children’s literacy and communication skills are developed during play. In fact, research indicates that children use their most advanced language skills while playing, which in turn supports literacy skills taught in the classroom. “When children play and communicate through play, they are learning how language works and gaining an understanding of how to interact with other people. Eventually, children connect the meaning of spoken language to written language, which is the key to success in school,” says a study published in the Journal of Inquiry and Action in Education.

At Marin Waldorf School, children benefit from a play-based and child-centered program, which is distinguished by:

A gentle rhythmical school day, with prolonged periods of imaginative free play
Inviting and homelike classrooms filled with cozy corners and lots of simple old-fashioned toys
Ample unstructured time outdoors in the redwood-shaded preschool yard, with play houses, a climbing structure, and a large sandbox
Teacher-led arts, activities, and storytelling that promote imagination, wonder, and joy

At Marin Waldorf School, our preschoolers are champions at play, filling the classrooms with their chatter and joy as they enthusiastically set up a tea party or practice balancing on either side of a seesaw in the yard. Give your child the gift of a play! Join us for a tour of Marin Waldorf School by emailing admissions@marinwaldorf.org.

Learn More
There are extensive studies on the power and importance of play in early childhood education. If you’d like to read more, here are a few recommended resources for parents.

“Scientists Say Child's Play Helps Build A Better Brain,” NPR, 2014
“Learning through play: Strengthening learning through play in early childhood education programmes,” The LEGO Foundation in support of UNICEF
“Why Play = Learning,” Encyclopedia for Early Childhood Development, 2008
“The Importance of Play in Promoting Healthy Child Development and Maintaining Strong Parent-Child Bonds,” Pediatrics, 2007
“Developing Literacy through Play,” Journal of Inquiry & Action in Education, 3(1), 2009

Play in the Waldorf Preschool