Modifying Play for All Abilities

We love the play-based approach to learning because it easily adapts to the age and skill level of all our children. Letting children explore open-ended, educational toys opens their minds to lots of creative possibilities.For example, a simple wooden puzzle with large, chunky pieces helps younger babies practice the fine motor skills of grasping (which will develop further into the skills used in writing), while a preschooler can use the letters to begin practicing sounds. Toddlers can begin by first matching the pictures, then learning the alphabet, before progressing to match the individual letters by shape recognition. The pieces can be recruited as makeshift characters in open-ended play, or used as a teaching tool to illustrate the importance of cleaning up the matched set when the activity is included. Unlike a rigidly “academic” approach, play-based education allows each child to explore developmentally appropriate toys at their own pace, while having fun along the way.