Date of Award

2024

Degree Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Education (MEd)

First Advisor

Fortidas Bakuza.

Department

Institute for Educational Development, East Africa

Abstract

Play and children's learning are inherently intertwined, with play serving as children's natural way of engaging with and understanding the world around them. This study underscores the essential role of play in facilitating children's social, cognitive, and emotional development, emphasizing its significance as a foundational aspect of early childhood education. Educationists, parents, and administrators recognize the power of play in allowing children to explore and learn autonomously, providing them with equal opportunities for engagement in learning activities.

However, the study acknowledges the challenge of determining the most effective ways and timing for utilizing play to facilitate learning. It aimed to address this challenge by investigating how play influences children's learning and identifying strategies for its effective integration into educational practices. Data collected from two pre-primary schools, including interviews, group discussion with school head teachers, classroom teachers, a as well as observations of teachers using play-based pedagogy in the classroom, provided valuable insights. The findings reveal that integrating play-based learning into the curriculum fosters creativity and critical thinking, challenging the misconception that academic achievement should overshadow play activities in early childhood education.

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