The Benefits of Play-Based Learning for Under-5
As parents, we all want the best start for our tamariki, ensuring they grow into confident, curious, and capable learners. Play-based learning is not just about fun—it’s a powerful educational approach that nurtures cognitive, social, emotional, and physical development in the early years. At Small Sprouts, we believe that children learn best through play. By engaging in meaningful, hands-on experiences, tamariki develop essential skills that set them up for lifelong success.
What is Play-Based Learning?
Play-based learning is an approach where children naturally explore, experiment, and discover new concepts through structured and free play. Guided by Te Whāriki, Aotearoa’s early childhood curriculum, our kaiako design activities that encourage:
🎨 Creativity – Opportunities for tamariki to express ideas and imagination.
🧩 Problem-Solving – Encouraging independent thinking and decision-making
🤝 Social Growth – Building friendships, collaboration, and emotional intelligence
🔢 Early Numeracy & Literacy – Learning numbers, shapes, and storytelling in an organic way.
Play is how children make sense of the world—it’s their way of experimenting, questioning, and understanding concepts that will support their transition into primary school and beyond.
Key Benefits of Play-Based Learning
Boosts Brain Development
Play strengthens neural connections, supporting memory, language skills, and cognitive flexibility. Activities like storytelling, pretend play, and sensory exploration stimulate different areas of the brain, helping tamariki process information more effectively.
Develops Social & Emotional Skills
Through play, children learn to navigate relationships, take turns, share, and express emotions in a safe environment. Group play also helps build empathy, cooperation, and conflict resolution skills—important foundations for later life.
Fosters Creativity & Imagination
Open-ended play—such as building with blocks, painting, or role-playing—encourages innovative thinking and adaptability. These skills are essential for problem-solving and thinking outside the box as children grow.
Builds Resilience & Confidence
Play teaches children to take calculated risks, experiment with ideas, and persevere through challenges. Whether climbing a playground structure or working on a puzzle, they develop resilience and self-regulation—key traits for lifelong learning.
Supports Early Literacy & Numeracy
Play naturally introduces foundational math and language concepts. Counting blocks, sorting shapes, singing rhymes, and engaging in storytelling all build early literacy and numeracy skills in a stress-free, engaging way.
Why Play-Based Learning Matters
At Small Sprouts, we create rich, play-filled environments where tamariki can explore, take risks, and build confidence. By embracing play-based learning, we ensure that children develop holistically—preparing them not just for school, but for a lifetime of learning and discovery.