Have you ever watched a child build a tall tower just to knock it down, or spend an hour in a make-believe world with their toys? It might look like they are ‘just playing’, but they are actually doing something amazing. They are learning! At Choklits, we believe that play is the most important work of childhood. Our whole program is built around this simple, powerful idea, which is known as play-based learning.
At our Choklits services in Ringwood, Surrey Hills, and Croydon, we know that children are born curious. They are like little scientists, exploring, experimenting, and making sense of the world around them. Play-based learning uses this natural curiosity to help children learn and grow in a way that is fun, exciting, and always led by them.
What is Play-Based Learning?
Play-based learning is an approach to teaching where children learn through play, not through formal lessons or worksheets. It’s the main idea behind Australia’s official Early Years Learning Framework (EYLF), which is the guide for all quality kindergarten programs.
It means that our wonderful teachers create a learning world full of interesting things to do and explore. They then watch, listen, and join in with your child’s play to help them learn even more. If your child is building with blocks, a teacher might ask, “I wonder which block would be stronger at the bottom?” If they are playing in the sandpit, a teacher might add water to show them how the texture changes. It’s all about turning playtime into a time of discovery.
The Amazing Benefits of Play
When children learn through play, they are developing all the skills they need to become happy, confident, and successful learners for life. The benefits are huge!
- It builds happy brains: Play helps to build connections in the brain, which makes it easier for children to learn for the rest of their lives.
- It teaches social skills: When children play together, they learn how to share, take turns, work as a team, and understand other people’s feelings. This helps them to make friends and feel like they belong.
- It grows creativity and problem-solving: Whether they are figuring out how to stop their block tower from falling over or creating a new game, children are learning how to solve problems and think in new and creative ways.
- It develops language and communication: From chatting in the doll corner to explaining the rules of their game, children are constantly practising their talking and listening skills.
- It helps them feel good: Play is a natural way for children to express their feelings, get rid of stress, and build their confidence. It helps them feel happy, safe, and secure.
But What About Reading, Writing, and Maths?
This is a question we hear a lot, and it’s a great one! Many parents wonder how playing with blocks or dressing up as a superhero helps children get ready for the academic work of school.
The answer is that play is the most powerful way to build the foundations for literacy and numeracy. Before a child can learn to read a book, they need to love stories. Before they can solve a maths problem on a page, they need to understand concepts like ‘more’ and ‘less’. Play is where this deep learning happens.
When a child shares fruit at morning tea, they are learning about division. When they listen to a story and talk about the characters, they are learning about narrative and language. When they build a ramp for their toy car, they are learning about physics and engineering.
Play-based learning isn’t the opposite of academic learning; it’s the essential first step that makes all future learning possible.
How We Bring it to Life
Play-Based Learning at Choklits
At Choklits, you’ll see play-based learning happening in every corner of our centres, every single day. We don’t just talk about it — we live it! Here are just a few examples:
- In our veggie gardens: When children plant a seed and watch it grow into a carrot they can eat, they are learning about science, nature, patience, and where their food comes from. And we’ve found that when children grow veggies, they are much more likely to eat them!
- With our ‘loose parts’: We have collections of interesting materials like blocks, pebbles, fabric, and recycled boxes. Children can use these to build anything they can imagine, which teaches them about engineering, maths, and creativity.
- During dramatic play: Our dress-up corners and play kitchens are always busy! This is where children act out stories, learn about different roles in the community, and develop their imagination and social skills.
- In our music and sports programs: Through singing, dancing, and special sports sessions, children learn about rhythm and movement, how to work in a team, and how to use their bodies in healthy ways.
- With our special visitors: When we have incursions like our wild animal visits or drama workshops, children get to learn in a hands-on, exciting way that they will remember forever.
From Play-Based Learning to School Readiness
Everything we do in our play-based learning program is designed with one big goal in mind: to make sure your child is happy, confident, and ready for the next big step in their learning journey — primary school. Our School Readiness Program is woven into everything we do.
All the social skills, problem-solving, and early literacy and numeracy that children learn through play come together to give them everything they need to thrive in a more formal school setting. They will start school not just knowing their letters and numbers, but with a love of learning, the confidence to ask questions, and the ability to make new friends. That is the true gift of play.
What Parents Ask Us Most About Play Based Learning
Everything you need to know about play based learning
What is play-based learning and why does Choklits use it?
Play-based learning means children learn through play, not just worksheets or formal lessons. At Choklits, we use play because it is how young children learn best.
When your child builds, digs, paints, sings, counts, shares, climbs or makes up a story, their brain is busy. They are testing ideas, using words, solving problems and learning about the world. That is why we say play is the real work of childhood.
Will my child learn reading, writing and maths through play?
Yes. Play helps your child build the first skills they need for reading, writing and maths. Before children read books, they need to love stories, sounds and words. Before they do maths on paper, they need to understand ideas like more, less, full, empty, big, small and same.
At Choklits, your child may count blocks, sort toys, share fruit, draw signs, listen to stories, sing rhymes or build a ramp for a car. These simple play moments build early literacy, early numeracy and clear thinking.
How does play-based learning prepare my child for school?
Play-based learning helps children get ready for school in a calm and happy way. It helps them learn how to listen, ask for help, try again, follow routines, make friends and solve small problems.
Our School Readiness Program is woven into each day. Your child builds early reading, writing, maths, social and self-help skills through rich play. They leave Choklits with more than letters and numbers. They leave with confidence, care and a love of learning.
What does play-based learning look like at Choklits each day?
You will see play-based learning in every part of our centres. Your child might plant seeds in our veggie gardens, build with loose parts, dress up in dramatic play, sing, dance, cook, climb, paint, draw or join a fun incursion.
Each moment has meaning. In the garden, children learn about nature and patience. With blocks, they learn maths and design. In dress-ups, they learn words, feelings and social skills. Play is full of learning when caring educators guide it well.
What is the EYLF and how does it guide learning at Choklits?
The EYLF is the Early Years Learning Framework. It is Australia’s guide for quality early learning. It helps early childhood teams plan learning that supports each child’s growth, play, safety and wellbeing.
At Choklits, we use the EYLF in a warm and real way. We plan from your child’s needs, age, strengths and interests. This helps your child feel known, safe and ready to learn.
How do Choklits educators support learning during play?
Our educators do much more than watch. They listen, join in, ask questions and add new ideas. They help children think, talk, share and try new ways to solve a problem.
If your child is building a tower, we may ask which block is strongest. If they are in the sandpit, we may add water and talk about what changes. These small steps help your child learn more from the play they already love.
What are the benefits of play-based learning for my child?
Play-based learning helps your child grow in many ways at once. It builds brain links, language, early maths, movement, social skills, problem-solving and confidence.
It also helps children feel safe and happy. Through play, children can share feelings, try new things, make friends and learn how to be part of a group. These skills matter at child care, at school and in life.
At what age does play-based learning start at Choklits?
Play-based learning starts from the very beginning. Babies learn through touch, sound, smiles, songs and safe movement. Toddlers learn through doing, copying, talking and exploring.
As children grow into pre-kinder and kinder, the play grows with them. We add more language, early maths, group games, projects, stories and school readiness skills. Every age has play that fits that child’s stage.
How will I know what my child is learning through play?
We help you see the learning behind your child’s day. Our team shares updates, photos and stories, so you can see what your child is doing and why it matters.
You may see a photo of your child painting, building, gardening or playing with friends. We help explain the skills behind that moment, such as language, counting, teamwork, fine motor skills or problem-solving.
Which Choklits centres offer play-based learning?
Play-based learning is part of every Choklits centre. You will find our warm, child-led program at Ringwood, Surrey Hills and Croydon.
If you want to see it in action, book a tour. We would love to show you our rooms, gardens, educators and daily learning. You will see how play helps children feel safe, happy and ready for school.
