Where Learning is Fun: Daycare with Learning Through Play

As a parent looking for daycare, you want a safe place where your child can grow, learn, and have fun. Those first five years are precious, and with about 90% of brain growth occurring during these years, choosing the right daycare is one of the most important decisions you’ll make for your child.

Daycares with learning through play focus on engaging children in entertaining activities that support their cognitive, social, and emotional growth. Play-based daycares help kids learn important life skills.

Learn about play-based daycares: their benefits, how they help infants, toddlers, and preschoolers, how to find a good one, and how you can help at home.

What Makes a Daycare with Learning Through Play Different?

A daycare with learning through play goes beyond keeping children busy; it actively supports their growth and development through engaged play. 

True play-based learning allows children to take the lead. Children don’t realize they are learning because they are having so much fun. Play-based learning activities help build social, emotional, and intellectual skills, self-esteem, and confidence in children.

Academic daycares often focus on rigid lesson plans while many custodial daycares just make sure the kids are safe. Play-based daycares blend learning, supervision, and fun.

The Science Behind Learning Through Play in Daycare Settings

Research shows that children in play-based daycares see improved outcomes in cognitive, social, and emotional development. Play supports problem-solving skills, creativity, and social interactions, which are all crucial for future learning. 

A daycare schedule with structured schedules and unstructured playtime offers balance. According to HeadStart.gov, routine helps children feel safe and engage in learning, while play supports learning on all levels.

What to Look for in a Daycare with a Learning Through Play Approach

Know what to look for in a play-based daycare to help make the best choice for your child.

Physical Environment

Look for a clean and well-organized daycare with dedicated areas (inside and out!) for different types of play like spaces for building blocks, art time, tumbling, and reading. See if you can spot toys that are appropriate for different age groups. 

Teacher Interactions 

Look for kind, supportive teachers who listen and observe. In play-based daycare, kids pick what they want to play with, and teachers help them learn while they’re having fun. Teachers watch what kids are interested in, add new items to play with, and help them solve problems or get along with others. This way, kids learn and grow by playing.

Curriculum 

Kids in play-based daycare get to choose what they play and learn about. If they like building, they build! Teachers watch what they’re interested in and help them learn more about those things. They also keep track of how the kids are growing and learning while they play.

Learning Through Play: A Typical Day at Daycare

Here’s what you and your child could expect from a play-based learning daycare.

1. Show Up and Play

The day begins with a warm welcome from teachers, followed by time to play freely. Kids might build with blocks or play make-believe as they settle in for the day. Unstructured time is an integral part of the daily schedule at play-based daycare because it encourages creativity and exploration.

2. Fun & Learning Circle

Next, the group gathers for circle time, where children sing songs, tell stories, and talk. This combines playful learning with structure to help build language skills, social connections, and routine.

3. Friendship Teams

Children take part in small group activities throughout the day, focusing on specific skills or topics, like letters, colors, shapes, or numbers. These activities balance structure with creative, hands-on exploration.

4. Run, Jump & Learn

Scheduled outdoor time lets kids run, jump, and interact with nature. Outdoor playtime helps kids develop motor skills and social skills while burning extra energy.

5. Clean-Up Crew & Chow-Down Chums

Meal time is a chance for kids to practice social skills and independence. At play-based learning daycares, the time between activities, like picking up toys from playtime to go to the lunch table, typically includes songs or games. 

Fun and memorable games and songs during transitions help with physical coordination and keep kids having fun while doing chores. Parents can also use these transition activities at home when young children are asked to do tasks!

6. Cozy Naptime Calm  & Creative Afternoons

After lunch, children rest before afternoon activities. Afternoon activities are usually a mix of guided and independent play that inspire creativity and boost mood.

Playing and Growing: How Daycare Adapts Play for Every Age

In play-based daycares, kids learn by playing, and the teachers make sure the games are right for each child, based on age and development level. Little kids get games that help them learn little-kid things, and bigger kids get games that help them learn bigger-kid things. Everyone has fun and learns at their own pace.

Infants (0–12 months)

Babies at play-based daycare mostly play with things that feel and sound different. They touch soft things, hear gentle noises, and learn about the world that way. The teachers hold them, talk to them, and help them feel safe and happy. When they start to crawl and move, they have a safe place to explore and learn to move around.

Toddlers (1–3 years)

Toddlers love to run and climb! So, daycare gives them places to do just that. They also start learning to play with other kids, not just next to them. Singing and playing games helps them learn new words and practice speaking. Basically, they’re running, playing, and learning to be friends.

Preschoolers (3-5 years)

Preschoolers start playing pretend a lot! They make up stories and act them out, which helps them learn to get along with others and solve problems. They also play with puzzles and blocks, which helps them think. And they play games with numbers and letters, which gets them ready for school, all while having fun.

Let’s Play Together: How Parents Can Help at Our Daycare

To help your child learn through play, talk to their daycare teachers. Ask them what your child is playing and learning. You can also play similar games at home to keep the learning going. Ask the daycare for updates on how your child is growing and learning. When you talk to the teachers, ask:

• “What is my child learning while playing?”
• “What are they trying to teach my child?”
• “How can I help at home?”
• “Is there anything we should work on together?”

Communicating with the daycare team facilitates you and the teachers working together to help your child learn.

Building Confidence and Kindness: Emotional Growth at Daycare

Playing is vital for kids to learn how to make friends and handle their feelings. At daycare, they learn these things by playing:

• Making friends: Playing together helps them learn to share and work as a team.
• Solving problems: When kids argue, teachers help them talk it out and find ways to be friends again.
• Controlling feelings: If they get mad or sad, play helps them learn to calm down.
• Trying new things: Playing with puzzles or running around outside helps them learn to keep trying, even when it’s hard.

Evidence suggests that play at daycare helps kids become better at making friends throughout their lives. Shy kids might start playing more, and kids who have trouble solving problems might overcome the obstacles. Play can really help kids grow!

Play-Based Daycare Checklist 

Here are the things to look for in a play-based daycare.

• Planned Play: The daycare should offer activities where kids can play alone or together and use their imaginations.
• Learning Plan: Make sure they have a plan for how kids learn through play.
• Good Teachers: Ask if the teachers know how to help kids learn while they play.
• Fun, Safe Place: The daycare should have toys and play areas that are safe and good for kids of different ages.

When you visit a daycare, ask these simple questions:

• “How much time do kids spend playing each day?”
• “Can you show me how kids learn things like reading, numbers, and sharing through play?”
• “How do you make sure the games are right for each age?”
• “How do you know if the kids are learning and growing while they play?”

Watch out for these red flags:

• Not Enough Play: If the kids mostly just sit and do lessons or watch screens, they’re not really learning through play.
• Too Much Schoolwork: If they’re doing a lot of worksheets instead of playing, it’s not really a play-based place.
• Teachers Not Playing: If the teachers aren’t playing with the kids or helping them play, the kids aren’t getting the full benefit.

A Lifetime of Learning Starts Here: Choose a Play-Based Daycare Today!

Picking the right daycare is a big deal for your child. Kids who learn through play do better in school and make friends easier. Playing helps them become confident, happy learners who can solve problems and work with others. These are good skills for life!

Kiddie Kamp is a daycare where kids learn by playing. It can help your child grow and learn as much as possible. You might even qualify for free daycare at Kiddie Kamp! We can help you determine if you qualify, and it’s a really easy process. 

Ready to learn more? Reach out to us and let’s get started!