Learning through play at HEI Schools Saigon Central

Studies show that children develop all sorts of skills through play, such as cognitive, social, emotional, physical, and critical thinking abilities. Children therefore do not play to learn but learn as they play. It also lets them learn on a developmentally appropriate level, which varies from child to child. In Finland, children engage in both free play and play-based activities throughout the school day.

Learning through play at HEI Schools Saigon Central

During play, children practice everyday skills they will need later in life. For example, role-playing a doctor's appointment lets children share their opinions about how a doctor and patient should behave and what happens during a doctor's appointment. These roles give children an idea of how different people behave, talk, and express their emotions. This will prepare them for real doctor's appointments later in life because they already know what to expect and how to behave.

Playing together develops children's social skills because they must negotiate and agree upon the roles and plot of role play. It also supports their language development because they learn new vocabulary. In the example of the doctor role play, children learn new medical terms and phrases. The teacher also plays an important role because they can ask children to share their thoughts about role stereotypes, boost their language production, and support them in following social rules as they play.

Free play

At HEI Schools Saigon Central, free play is a time when children are allowed to play freely, choosing their own games, learning materials, and the direction of their play. Free play gives children the opportunity to follow their interests, incorporate newly learned skills into their activities, develop their strengths, and express themselves.

The teacher’s role in free play is guiding, documenting, and participating to further enrich the play environment. The HEI Schools Toolkit provides professional development materials to train teachers in the methodologies needed to support children in free play.

Time to explore the outdoors - with adult supervision - and time in the daily schedule for children to select whatever activity they like in the classroom are examples of free play. During these moments, children can choose from a range of activities. For example, they can make their own arts and crafts or engage in different types of role play, such as playing house or shop, with costumes and props to enrich the experience.

Long-Term Play

During play, children practice everyday skills they will need later in life.

Long-term play builds children’s stamina in an activity and patience in getting a project done. They can engage in long-term play in several ways. For example, they can continue a role play that lasts several days or weeks. In the example of the doctor's appointment, they can follow up with another appointment, a surgery or daily life after a doctor's visit. Another way to engage in long-term play is by having an activity in the classroom that they can return to consistently, such as Lego blocks or puzzles.

Curiosity

Children have a natural desire to explore the world around them. In the play, they can touch and play with different objects, explore new spaces, and ask questions. We nurture children’s curiosity by encouraging them to ask questions and to stop and wonder about the world around them. We follow children’s ideas and initiatives to support and enrich their curiosity in many aspects of the day, from choosing a topic for monthly projects to selecting spontaneous activities.