How play levels the playing field

Learning through play closes opportunity and inclusion gaps in early education. Let’s look at the evidence

Levelling the playing field in early learning

Every child can learn through play – as long as we give them the space, time and school systems to do it. Right now, that’s not always happening.

We reviewed 26 studies of early learning programmes (for children aged 3 to 6) in 18 countries to see which systems set children up to thrive.

Dive into our whitepaper to:

  • understand the opportunity gaps different education systems create
  • see why learning through play works everywhere
  • pick up tips for building a fairer system for all.

Here are a few of the highlights

1. Children develop essential skills through play
2. Learning through play closes opportunity and inclusion gaps
3. A combination of free and guided play works best

There’s more to explore, but we know learning through play works

We’re looking into the big questions, and we’d love more teachers, parents and children to join the conversation.

  • Does guided play work for you at home?
  • What’s the best way to guide play in the classroom?
  • How quickly should we introduce play programmes into pre-schools?

We’ll keep sharing the evidence we find here and work with partners around the world to gather even more.

Dive into our whitepaper to

  • understand the opportunity gaps different education systems create
  • see why learning through play works everywhere
  • pick up tips for building a fairer system for all.

Playful learning is fairer learning – for children from all backgrounds. Here’s the evidence.

Dive into our latest news, research, blogs and project stories

September 2021 Projects
Learning through play on Takalani Sesame
See how one of the world’s favourite TV shows encourages children in South Africa to love learning
September 2021 Evidence
Play to cope with change
September 2021 Evidence
Five reasons playful parenting lasts a lifetime
October 2021 Opinion
Play prepares children for the future. Any future.
October 2021 Opinion
Closing the skills gap
October 2022 Evidence
World Mental Health Day: How play can support children’s mental health
July 2022 Evidence
Good Life at home and at play
May 2022 Opinion
8 play ideas for family wellbeing
March 2022 Opinion
Play more, worry less: 3 ways play boosts resilience
March 2022 Evidence
Why social and emotional learning is top of the class

Ready to play?

What Makes Us Special

Ages: 6-9 years

People: 3+

Duration: Under 15 minutes

Mission Improbable

Ages: 6-9 years

People: 3+

Duration: Under 15 minutes

Brick Music Sequence

Ages: 6-9 years

People: 4+

Duration: Under 15 minutes

Unseen Guesses

Ages: 6-9 years

People: 3+

Duration: Under 15 minutes

Traffic Lights

Ages: 6-9 years

People: 3+

Duration: Under 15 minutes

More research

Learning through play: what the science says
Do you know that play builds brains? We look at research that shows how playful learning experiences lay the foundations for brain development and develops 21st century skills
In the classroom, At home, Future skills
Positive play in a digital age
Children spend more time online than ever – so it is vitally important that digital platforms are a safe space to explore and learn through play. Here’s how organisations are steering industry and governments to put children’s wellbeing first.
Technology, Wellbeing
Rebuilding systems around social and emotional learning
Social and emotional learning is every bit as vital as reading and writing - especially now. We spoke to policymakers around the world about how they’re reshaping education around these essential skills.
Future skills, Wellbeing
How children thrive on play
Dive into the evidence for play’s vital role in child development.
At home, In the classroom, Future skills
Engaging young children in play
Children get more out of play when they take the lead. But the science shows us adults can – and should – join in. Here’s why
In the classroom, At home