“Play is often talked about as if it were a relief from serious learning. But for children, play is serious learning.” – Fred Rogers
Preschool classrooms in the Regional Preschool Partnership classrooms use research-based and research-validated curricula designed to teach children in the ways they learn best – through play! These play-based learning experiences are enhanced by skilled teachers and include a mix of free play and guided play.
| Free Play vs. | Guided Play |
| Free play is unstructured, child-initiated and directed. It’s voluntary, spontaneous, and can’t be planned out entirely. Players have the freedom to quit and choose everything about their play, including the materials, interest area, and plot. Adults may still be involved, but they don’t direct the play or make the rules. Instead, adults provide the space and resources and respond to cues from the children. | Guided play maintains the joyful, child directed aspect of free play but adds a focus on learning goals through adult planning and scaffolding. It is specifically designed by adults to foster a learning objective. |
Regardless of which play-based curriculum a classroom is using, the indoor physical environment is organized into clearly defined interest areas. These interest areas may include, but are not limited to:
- Blocks
- Library
- House/Dramatic Play
- Discovery/Science
- Art
- Music
- Woodworking
- Computers
- Writing
- Sand/Water
Throughout each classroom session, highly-qualified teachers intentionally interact with children to build on their understanding and enhance learning. The daily routine involves a mixture of large and small group learning experiences, as well as opportunities for free play (visit the Daily Routine section of this website to see an example of a typical day in one of our preschool classrooms). All curricula used in GSRP classrooms align with the Michigan Early Childhood Standards of Quality and address key developmental and academic content learning areas:
- Approaches to Play and Learning
- Social and Emotional Development
- Physical Development and Health
- Communication, Language, and Early Literacy Development
- Creative and Expressive Arts
- Mathematics
- Engineering and Technology
- Science
- Social Studies