Play is, naturally, a very broad subject—almost as broad as its definitions. That said, everyone can agree that play is a central and essential childhood activity, a stance that is even supported by the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child. Piaget and Vygotski are just two of the many researchers who have studied this subject, but it is Vygotski who considers play to have a major role in learning and development.
What is play?
Before we can delve into the impact play has on learning, we need to define what play is. It may have been a universal activity since the dawn of time, but it remains a source of confusion for researchers; they struggle to agree on a common definition, especially given the incredible variety of activities that fall into the broad category of play.
Caillois (1967) defines play as free, separate, uncertain, and unproductive, yet governed by rules and make-believe. Meanwhile, Piaget proposes 4 categories of play: functional, constructive, fantasy, and games with rules.
Brougère (2005) is unable to define the term at all, instead deciding to propose five characteristics associated with play:
- Play is removed from ‘real life’: players enter the world of make-believe;
- To play is to decide: players accept or reject the activity;
- To play is to use rules;
- Play is frivolous: it allows participants to behave differently, without suffering the consequences of doing so;
- Play is uncertain: it’s impossible to know the end in advance.
As for Bateson (2014), he describes 5 defining features of play:
- Play is spontaneous and enjoyable;
- The player is protected from normal consequences;
- Play enables social norms to be changed and roles to be reversed;
- Behaviors are repeated, reproduced, or exaggerated;
- Play only happens when participants feel good.
In all cases, one conclusion is unanimous: play is for fun.
How can play be used to learn?
Some researchers see childhood as an extended period of research and development (R&D) during which play is critical. However, it is difficult to draw conclusions about the direct benefits of play on learning, given the lack of meta-analysis on the subject.
That said, studies highlight some interesting elements that link play and learning at different levels: “we learn through play,” “we learn as we play,” and “play makes us able to learn.”
Froebel states that adults need to adapt to the child’s means of expression to help them learn. Given the importance of play in childhood, it seems an ideal medium. This philosophy is still widespread today.
According to Piaget, play is not about learning new skills or abilities, but about strengthening them. This is what Lü focuses on in its Newton, Wäk, and Shäpes (Lü+) applications for math.
Meanwhile, Vygostski posits that play appears to be a motivational tool, but he does not systematically associate play and fun. At Lü, we aim to offer a range of different applications to appeal to a variety of learners. For instance, applications like Target, Zoo, Galactic, and Just Shapes&Beats: mïni (Lü+) allow students to refine their motor skills.
It was the alliance of psychology and pedagogy in the United States in the early 20th century that strongly influenced the position of play as a lever for learning. Originating in rhetoric, play became a value rather than a research theme, a vision that quickly spread through Anglo-Saxon, Nordic, and Germanic countries.
However, Walsh (2019) notes that some teachers find it difficult to use appropriate play-based pedagogy. If play is overly structured or overly free, it doesn’t seem to lead to the best learning opportunities for students. Teachers therefore need to strike a balance between a highly structured academic environment and one that leaves room for the discovery and exploration suggested by freer play.
As a result, she concludes that a mixed pedagogy in which the teacher supports, empowers, and observes students while they have fun, are engaged, and make decisions seems to strike the most conducive balance for learning. The teacher suggests games that build on the students’ interests and acts as a guide to develop their academic abilities, social-emotional skills, or inhibition.
What types of educational games are there?
In contrast to free play, there is a form of play in which the adult directs the action in line with their pedagogical intentions. There are three types of educational play.
In the first case, the educator chooses a game, can modify it, and ensures that feedback is given at the end of the game to consolidate learning. To do this, the game situation must offer enough affordances, or learning opportunities. It creates a three-phase process: experience → reflection → learning (Thiagarajan, 1993).
The second type of educational play is serious play: a game that has been extensively modified to include educational content. The themes, goals, and objectives are guided by pedagogical intentions. It’s a mix of playful and educational elements.
Finally, gamification involves an educational activity to which the educator has added game elements. Doing so makes learners more motivated to take part in the activity. In this spirit, Lü offers applications such as Lüvia (Lü+) and Vika to test students’ knowledge, as well as Sphynx to help them learn how coordinates work on a plane.
In all cases, it is the context and the format that will make or break the educational potential of the game, and the children’s engagement with the activity is essential. This is what makes the interactive projection such an innovation for schools; it’s a system that works with teachers to create situations that engage students in the activity, while offering real educational potential!
