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“At a primary school in the UK, both students and teachers have become more engaged and curious as a result of a shift to a fully play-based approach—and learning has become more joyful for everyone.”

 

So begins an online article on the Edutopia website.

 

The article continues, “In Aberdeen, Scotland, Dyce Primary School has undergone an impressive academic transformation by making learning more playful. In a wooded area near the school, even the smallest students are free to take risks in an unstructured environment—climbing trees, building structures from tarps, planks, and tires, exploring the landscape—while teachers observe from a distance. Once they are back indoors, the perseverance, independence, and resourcefulness the children developed while at play improve their focus and their academic work, as they dive into hands-on, largely student-directed learning initiatives.”

Visit the Edutopia site to view a video on the school and access links to research about the value of the school’s shift to more play.