Play In Schools
The Importance Of Play In Schools
PlayBoard has a dedicated work stream focused on assisting schools implement play strategies for learning and relaxation. We have experience of working with the entire school community to support and enhance play knowledge, whilst developing the outdoor play environment to maximise children’s play, learning opportunities, and experiences.
Outcomes
Through offering quality play time and experiences, schools play a significant role in improving children and young people’s:
PlayBoard’s schools-focused programmes and experienced staff team can help your school deliver positive results.
Play Has A Critical Role In Schools
Play is one of the main mechanisms children and young people use to learn about the world around them.
Both natural and instinctive, play enables children to test their own abilities and to learn and develop new skills and knowledge.
As such, play has a critical role in schools – offering an outlet for expending energy during break times, enhancing concentration levels within the class room, and as a means of contributing to learning through the curriculum.
The importance of schools as environments for play cannot be understated.
For many children and young people, the school playground represents the only open, accessible space available to them on a regular basis that allows them to engage in physically challenging and socially developmental outdoor play.
Critically, where a school actively supports and encourages a variety of play types and approaches, play has been shown to help enhance and reinforce curricular learning and development across a range of areas.
By harnessing children’s natural drive to play within schools we can enhance the education process, supporting curriculum delivery and enabling our children to maximise their learning potential.
Examples of how play can help to reinforce curricular learning include:
Training And Play Support Programmes
PlayBoard’s Taking Outdoor Play Seriously (TOPS) Quality Assurance Award
PlayBoard’s Taking Outdoor Play Seriously (TOPS) Quality Assurance Award
PlayBoard’s signature, academic year-long Quality Assurance Award works with the Board of Governors, senior management, teaching and non-teaching staff, parents, and children to bring about a comprehensive transformation of play policy and practice in the school estate.
PlayBoard’s Positive PlayGrounds Training Programme
PlayBoard’s Positive PlayGrounds Training Programme
Positive PlayGrounds supports schools to re-assess their use of playgrounds as a means of enhancing play-based development and learning through environmental assessment and training.
Play Consultancy And Bespoke Training
Our in-house school consultancy team can advise and tailor training and support to cater to an individual school’s needs. As Northern Ireland’s leading play experts, we have experience of developing a range of bespoke play training packages relevant to school requirements.
Children’s Play Sessions
PlayBoard can offer stimulating, fun, interactive outdoor play sessions to help children have fun whilst learning outdoors.
Parents’ Sessions
Aimed at helping parents understand the importance of play for their children’s overall health and well-being.
Impact
Participant Feedback
“It is not an exaggeration to say that our play has been transformed. We now have a comprehensive and inclusive approach to outdoor play that is reaping immense benefits for children and staff alike. Supervisors report more activity and less disagreements.
Teachers say children are ready to learn when they return from break. Parents are very complimentary of the changes and most importantly, the children love it!”
St. Joseph’s Primary School
“The children have benefited greatly from the TOPS programme. Their needs and interests are being met outside at break and lunchtimes and the play zones that we have created provide opportunities to not only socialise together, but to develop many other skills.
The most rewarding part of taking part in this programme has been watching the children enjoying their play. The playgrounds are full of laughter, squeals of excitement, and happy little faces which is what break and lunchtime should be about!”
Orangefield Primary School
“School playtimes are absolutely amazing now. The outdoor environment is colourful, inviting and a real outdoor adventure wherever you go. I love it as do the children. We have an environment where our children can flourish, where they can work together, grow in responsibility and be independent learners. We are certainly Taking Outdoor Play Seriously!”
Moneynick Primary School
Get In Touch
If you would like to improve outdoor play at your school and provide your pupils with quality play experiences, get in touch.
For more information email info@playboard.org and one of our experienced staff members will be in contact to discuss your requirements.