Learning Through Play

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“Play is the only way the highest intelligence of humankind can unfold” 

  -  Joseph Chilton Pearce 

Learning Through Play - Years 0–6

At Lyall Bay School, Learning Through Play nurtures curious minds, strong relationships and confident learners. Across Years 0–6, our tamariki explore, imagine, create and investigate, building knowledge and discovering what they can do.

Our approach is informed by Longworth Education’s play pedagogy. Children bring their ideas, interests, languages, cultures and experiences to their learning. Kaiako thoughtfully shape the environment, provide rich resources and use intentional teaching to deepen understanding while protecting children’s ownership of their play.

Growing with our learners

Years 0–2: Exploring and connecting

Play supports the transition to school, helping tamariki develop friendships, confidence and a sense of belonging. Through imaginative play, construction, movement and exploration, children develop language, negotiate ideas and investigate how things work. Kaiako build on these experiences, supporting early literacy, mathematical thinking and growing independence.

Years 3–4: Investigating and developing ideas

As children grow, their play becomes more sustained and complex. They revisit designs, organise shared projects, negotiate rules and test possible solutions. Reading, writing and mathematics provide useful tools: children might look further into an interest, record a plan, measure a construction or explain a discovery. Kaiako introduce knowledge, questions and challenges that help ideas develop further.

Years 5–6: Creating, challenging and leading
Our older learners continue to learn through play, with increasing depth, independence and purpose. Designing, making, inventing and investigating offer opportunities to tackle complex problems, consider different perspectives and refine ideas. Ākonga take greater responsibility for planning, collaborating and reflecting, using their growing curriculum knowledge to make decisions and explain their thinking.

These stages are flexible. Kaiako respond to each learner’s strengths, interests and needs, providing different ways to participate, communicate and experience success.

Notice, Recognise, Respond

Our kaiako actively observe and extend learning through an ongoing cycle:

• Notice: Listen and take note of  children’s conversations and observe their interests, questions, strategies and discoveries.
• Recognise: Identify the knowledge, skills and learning dispositions developing, and connect these with the curriculum and each child’s next steps.
• Respond: Extend learning through carefully timed questions, new vocabulary, explicit teaching, different materials or an opportunity to revisit an idea. Sometimes, the response is to allow more time for children to work things out, sometimes it is a workshop that supports further learning, sometimes it is an invitation of provocation to further engage curiosity and critical thinking. 

Learning Through Play works alongside explicit teaching, including structured literacy and mathematics. Children have opportunities to learn new knowledge and skills, then apply, practise and deepen these in meaningful contexts.

 

Our values in action

• Manaaki - Relationship, Community & Identity: We care for one another, include others and value the identities, languages and cultures that enrich our school.
• Pākiki - Creativity & Curiosity: We wonder, ask questions, explore possibilities and try new ideas.
• Hiranga - Excellence & Wellbeing: We persevere, learn from mistakes and take pride in our progress, supported by relationships that help us feel safe and capable.

From a first imaginative game to a sustained investigation, Learning Through Play helps our tamariki become thoughtful, creative learners who can contribute to their world.