The importance of play in learning development from the formative childhood years through to adulthood was at the forefront of a presentation by renowned educator, researcher and speaker Dr. Sarah Aiono. Dr. Aiono, who hails from New Zealand, has been travelling the province for the past three weeks, guiding educators and parents on the importance of creative play in making neurological connections. On Monday night, May 12, she made a stop at the Horizon School Division for a presentation to parents and community partners.
It’s no secret that unbridled creative play is one of the clearest pathways to support youth cognitive, emotional and physical development. Research throughout the span of education study has supported the framework that play provides opportunities to strengthen skills in social navigation, physical movement, development of creativity and problem solving and emotional regulation. The latest research and resources are documented and shared on the website longwortheducation.com.
In a presentation entitled “Back to Basics,” Dr. Aiono reflected on what the phrase really means in the context of education. Governments assess education largely on the basis of what they perceive as successful outcomes in literacy and numeracy. The conventional teacher led and structured environments of school systems with their focus on outcomes over process have produced results that governance bodies say aren’t making the grade. With pressure to increase those structured learning methods, Aiono mused on why educators were being asked to commit to a course of action that may not be working well.
“I know for a fact that our teachers work really hard on teaching literacy and numeracy,” Aiono shared. “So, when we hear a condemnation of literacy and numeracy levels, it’s a little jarring to our teachers who are working hard to teach in that way.
The question is ‘if we’ve been doing that, and we’re still getting these outcomes, why are we insisting on doing more of what’s not working. What we’re finding in our quest to grow literacy and numeracy in our students, we’re taking away the very things that actually help our children in literacy and numeracy.”
In a world where more research and understanding has come to light on neurodivergent children, Aiono says that information must be plugged into an “alternative” mode of learning that’s been part of youth and adult development all along. She’s experienced such thinking firsthand in her own family where her children have been diagnosed with ADHD and self-diagnosed autism. Freedom to explore through play and other interactive means of learning has made all the difference.
Throughout the evening, Aiono shared the documented benefits of an open play environment and creating natural based and loose parts playgrounds, such as the one that’s been under construction at Englefeld School. She talked about the potential for park design with open child-initiated construction spaces, water exploration, and environments that invite exploration, not only physical activities on rigid structures.
“When we look at understanding how the brain develops, we know that play is crucial for every aspect of development. It doesn’t just switch off when children turn the magical age of 5 or 6 when they sit down to engage in a formal kind of learning.”
In fact, she says because the brain is wired to learn through exploration and experience, there’s no top age where play ceases to become important in neurological development. Seniors in advanced years have been shown to exhibit expanded neural pathways when they take up playing an instrument or some other creative tasks.”
Aiono says nurturing that spirit of play becomes even more important given the pervasiveness of digital devices in the lives of young people. Aside from the inherent dangers that can lurk in even sites geared for children, there’s a concern about the element of creative play being stolen from youngsters.
“I think we have to be not so scared of children getting bored,” Dr. Aiono proposes. “I think we're so quick to want our children to be entertained and to not be bored, and we feel it’s our responsibility to fill that void. The human brain was not designed to get bored, so if we leave it long enough, it will start to work for us. That’s the start of creativity.”
Aiono says for those youth who have been immersed in a digital world, it’s not really an option for a parent to prohibit their access. However, offering children a more free-form, creative alternative, or encouraging them to discover one for themselves, will provide a big payoff when it comes to learning and development.
It’s a message that Dr. Sarah Aiono hopes will be adopted by schools and educators, as well as in the home.