Ask a three-year-old what they did at school and the answer is often “I played.” Many parents hear that and wonder whether any real learning took place. The truth is that the importance of play in early childhood is hard to overstate: for young children, play is not a break from learning, it is the main way learning happens.
When a child stacks blocks, pours water between cups or acts out “market day” with friends, they are testing ideas, practising language and learning how the world works. This article explains what children gain from play, the different kinds of play to look out for, and how you can support it at home and at school.
The importance of play in early childhood: what children learn
Play builds the whole child at once. Physically, running, climbing and balancing strengthen large muscles, while threading beads and moulding clay prepare small hands for writing. Socially, children learn to take turns, share, negotiate and handle disappointment when the game does not go their way.
Cognitively, play is where curiosity gets exercised. A child sorting leaves by size is doing early maths; a child “cooking” in a pretend kitchen is building vocabulary and sequencing skills. Emotionally, play gives children a safe space to rehearse big feelings, from the nervousness of a first day to the excitement of being the “teacher.”
Our Early Years team often reminds parents of a simple truth. As our HOD Early Years, Mrs Omotosho Titilayo, puts it: “A child’s brain is at its most flexible during the early years.” Rich, varied play is how we make the most of that window.
Language grows through play as well. When children negotiate who will be the driver and who will be the passenger, they practise asking, explaining and persuading. Over time, those playful conversations become the foundation for reading, writing and confident speaking in the primary years.
Types of play
Educators often describe several kinds of play, and a healthy week includes a mix of them.
- Physical play: running, jumping, climbing, skipping and ball games that build strength and coordination.
- Constructive play: building with blocks, sand or recycled boxes, which teaches planning and problem-solving.
- Pretend play: being a doctor, trader, driver or mummy, which develops language, empathy and imagination.
- Sensory play: water, sand, dough and textured materials that help children explore through touch, sight and sound.
- Games with rules: simple board games and group games that teach patience, fairness and turn-taking.
Our renovated playground
Since 2020, Palmville Children School has renovated its playground and brightened the school with murals, so that outdoor time feels welcoming and inspiring. A good playground gives children room to move freely, take small, safe risks and play alongside friends of different ages and temperaments.
Indoors, our early years classes also use Chromebooks, tablets and sensory toys added since 2020. We treat these as tools that sit alongside hands-on play, never as a replacement for it. You can learn more about daily life in the early years on our primary school page.
Play ideas at home
You do not need expensive toys. Some of the best play uses what you already have in the house, and it fits easily into a busy Lagos evening.
The most useful thing you can give your child is your attention. Put the phone down for fifteen minutes, sit on the floor and let them lead. Resist the urge to correct or direct every move; if your child wants the block tower to be a hospital, ask what happens there. You are showing that their ideas matter, and that is a powerful message for a young learner.
- Build a “shop” with empty tins, cartons and play money, and let your child be the shopkeeper.
- Make an obstacle course from cushions and stools, then time it together.
- Fill a basin with water, cups and spoons for pouring and measuring.
- Use leftover cardboard to make a car, a house or a robot.
- Tell a story and invite your child to act out the characters.
Frequently asked questions
Is play enough preparation for primary school?
Play builds the language, focus, social skills and number sense that formal learning depends on. Good early years programmes combine play with gentle, structured activities such as phonics and counting.
How much should I join in when my child plays?
Follow your child’s lead. Ask open questions, add a new word or idea occasionally, and let them direct the game. Short, warm, undistracted time together matters more than long sessions.
Does screen time count as play?
Most experts treat it differently. Active, hands-on and social play develops skills that passive viewing does not, so try to keep screens as a small part of the day.
Play is how young children make sense of the world, and the habits it builds, such as curiosity, patience and cooperation, stay with them for life. If you would like to see how play fits into the day at Palmville Children School, book a visit and watch our youngest pupils at work.