Thrilled to Learn

Rings of paper encircle the room. Hurried activity fills the space. Children cut, twist, and staple rings of colorful construction paper together. Children are working on a goal that took on a life of its own. I have been watching this work for many weeks. As I observe, the work seems repetitive, but it is challenging and exciting to the children. 

The scene above came about as a group of children worked to create the longest paper chain possible. The chain was already long when I decided to pay more attention to the work. What piqued my interest was the joy and collaboration the children displayed through the work as the paper chain wrapped around the room many times. 

The above scene is an example of what the Lego Foundation calls "The Characteristics of Playful Experiences that Lead to Deeper Learning." This article is part four of a series inspired by a Lego Foundation video I viewed online about how play invites deeper learning. 

What is joyful play? 

The Lego Foundation video says, "Joyful play is children getting more involved in play and enjoying the task for its own sake. It is what makes learning challenging and fun." There are five characteristics I have observed in children as they engage in joyful play. 

Joyful play in school-age children is about engagement. It starts with the children's interest in a creative material or idea they have questions about and want to explore. Joyful play is a process where children, alone and in collaboration, engage with their interests and take a deep dive into the process of finding answers. Joyful play is an in-depth investigation with challenges along the way. Challenges the children enjoy because they have an investment in learning and making connections.

Another part of the joyful play is improvisation. Playing has an experimental quality that attracts children. When children are exploring a material or idea, the pace is fast. Learning evolves quickly as children experiment and try new ideas. For example, at the beginning of the paper chain process, the children tested, in rapid succession, many different methods of cutting paper strips and attaching them. There was much discussion and differences of opinion as children explored other methods. After a few days, the children agreed on a technique, and full-scale production commenced.

The third characteristic of joyful play is that it is long-lasting. Children involved in an exploration of their choosing will work diligently to make discoveries and attempt new ideas for an infinite amount of time. When a work session ends, children engaged in joyful play always say they cannot believe how much time has passed. They always want to keep working instead of going outside, having a snack, or going home with their parents.

An essential factor in inviting joyful play is the environment. Children like to explore ideas and questions in different settings. Each child has a favorite environment in the program and does their most intense work in that space. Having access to the classroom along with a wealth of different materials and tools invites children to become lost in their work. When children are in their favorite environment, they come alive with ideas and activities around a play experience.

The last factor I observe with the school-age children is the verbal connection created when children engage in joyful play. Children talk, share, and teach each other when working with joy. The work takes the form of a long conversation between scientists trying to figure out answers to questions that develop fast during each work session. The material or activity the children engage in does not change their approach to the work. The same conversation goes on when talking about a leaf or how to paint a picture with watercolors. All children approach the process of learning the same way.

What can we do as Early Childhood practitioners to invite joyful play and learning into our classroom?

We nurture opportunities for children to engage in joyful play when we invite children to choose their work while exploring a variety of materials. It is essential for educators to collaborate with children and see themselves as co-learners. A crucial aspect of co-learning is documenting the children's work to support the evolution of the children's learning journey.

Another part of joyful play involves children sharing ideas and projects with other children. Sharing work and ideas inspire other children and grow the learning community. Collaboration reinforces the learning journey as children teach other children about their discoveries and techniques in their work.

Creating access to a variety of environments is essential. Access enables children to gravitate toward the environment that most inspires them. When access to different settings is always available, the children can work in their chosen atmosphere. Access creates opportunities for expanded learning and experimentation.

In the end, the paper chain made it two and a half times around the school. The children counted the links, and it was close to seven hundred. Many joyful connections blossomed during the process. This project is an excellent example of how the children experience joy plus learn about materials and each other during play in our learning community.