Playlist #1: Five Podcasts about Learning through Play
In Swaziland, a young girl plays on a new seesaw on a playground built by the Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation. Photo Credit: Jon Hrusa, Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation
This is the first in a blog series of “playlists” that introduce resources on playful learning for program managers and practitioners. We take a trip around the world to learn from five podcasts featuring research and practical examples of play and playful learning for children and adults of all ages. I recommend the first three podcasts for all listeners, while the last two likely will be most interesting to teachers, school leaders, and professional development providers.
Let’s Play (3 episodes, 2024) - Why is play essential for children’s development, creativity, and well-being? This 3-part podcast answers this question by providing an excellent introduction to the science of play. Each episode weaves in examples of how Save the Children incorporates play into health and education programming in diverse contexts – from Bangladesh to Uganda. For example, we learn about play helps war-affected children in Ukraine and sparks learning and creativity in Jordan. The podcast also acknowledges different cultural perceptions of play and tackles the issue of how to convince parents and stakeholders that play is vital to children's development and learning. Short on time? Focus on episodes 1 and 3.
Speaking of Psychology: Why We Learn Best Through Play (Episode 266, 2023). In this episode, psychologist Dr. Kathy Hirsh-Pasek explains why children learn best through active playful learning, meaning adult-guided activities with a learning goal that give children agency. Dr. Hirsh-Pasek discusses research showing that learning through play approaches support the development of core competencies children will need as adults, known as the 6Cs: collaboration, communication, content, critical thinking, creative innovation, and confidence. She also talks about her work with researchers and communities around the world to create playful landscapes in community spaces like bus stops, grocery stores, laundromats, and parks.
The Brain Architects: Building Resilience Through Play (Episode 15, 2022). This podcast from the Harvard Center on the Developing Child provides easy-to-grasp overviews of key concepts in early childhood development (ECD). In this episode, six experts explore how play helps children build their resilience, overcome adversity, and improve both mental and physical health. One example is how a play-based early learning program, known as the humanitarian play lab, supports Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh. In another example, pediatricians prescribe play to parents to increase their understanding of the “value” of play. A key message is that promoting safe, stable, nurturing relationships is critical for children’s resilience. For those new to ECD, I also recommend the first three episodes of this podcast.
The Pedagogy of Play: Podcast Companion (18 episodes, 2024). Based on a collaboration between Project Zero at Harvard and the LEGO Foundation, this podcast combines an audio book about the pedagogy of play with resources to support practitioners working in classrooms from early childhood to secondary education. Drawing on cross-cultural research in Denmark, South Africa, Colombia, and the U.S., the episodes explore what it looks and feels like when educators and school leaders embrace learning through play. If you want to go deeper into the pedagogy of play, there are links to 18 tools to support playful learning across content areas and age groups. Short on time? Focus on Chapter 1 and the 8 Pictures of Practice.
Learning Through Play Teacher Podcast (7 episodes, 2023). Finally, for those who work closely with educators in low-resource contexts, we recommend this podcast series developed by the Aga Khan Foundation and LAM Sisterhood. These 7 episodes in English and Kiswahili were designed to help pre-primary and primary teachers understand the benefits of learning through play for children, as well as learn practical strategies to implement playful learning for different age groups. In each episode, teachers in Kenya, Tanzania, and Uganda describe, in Kiswahili, how they use low-cost and locally available resources to support learning through play in their classrooms. Short on time? Focus on Episode 1: What is learning through play.
Do you have a podcast on playful learning to recommend? Please send your suggestions to mneuman@fas.org
