Play-Based Learning and the Importance of Eary Education
Early Monday morning, the sound of our youngest Dragons’ cheering reverberated on our campus as the ribbon was cut and confetti fell to mark the official grand opening of the new lower elementary playground for children in grades PK–2!
Our new outdoor space includes an in-ground trampoline, a horizontal rock climbing wall, slides, sandbox, climbing and balancing stations, water play, and more, all built on soft turf to ensure safety. This innovative design and dynamic space is now a reality thanks to the vision, support, and work of our school’s leadership, Board of Directors, and Supro Playscapes.
Play-based learning aligns with the KAS BIG mission. The learning and play our students are now enjoying in this outdoor space will help build a great foundation for their growth, development, and education for years to come. The playground is a purpose-built environment for them to feel comfortable enough to stretch themselves, make mistakes, and form social connections in a way that promotes curiosity, confidence, and critical, creative thinking. Its thoughtful design encourages physical and social play-based learning, while fostering a range of play modes and activities including individual, group, creative, gross motor and balance, strengthening, stamina and more.
The new playground and the physical learning it promotes is one piece of the puzzle in our early education program. At KAS, we understand that early childhood education (ECE) is more than just a stepping stone to formal schooling; it is a critical period that shapes the development of children and their learning journeys, beginning at age 4. Play is essential for brain development in young children! By engaging children in a variety of activities and rich experiences that stimulate their natural curiosity and creativity, play-based learning in ECE builds foundational skills for literacy, numeracy, and problem-solving, while also helping students form strong social skills.
Whether it’s on the playground, in the classroom, on the stage, or in the gym, there are numerous ways in which our youngest Dragons’ daily educational activities and experiences will support and impact their learning for years to come.
In daily classroom lessons, play-based learning is strongly linked to the development of pre-literacy skills, as it provides a rich, interactive environment where children can naturally acquire foundational reading and writing abilities.
In music classes, children engage in activities that build phonological awareness by experimenting with sounds and rhymes in songs and games.
They develop the pre-literacy skill of print awareness as they explore books, and create their own stories through drawing and writing activities.
Play in and out of the classroom enhances vocabulary development as children encounter new words and concepts during imaginative play and social interactions.
Narrative skills are strengthened through role-playing and storytelling, where children learn to sequence events and express ideas.
Students’ imaginations are strengthened through playing pretend, where they can be anyone they want to be, from doctors to royalty to chefs, allowing them to exercise their creative muscles.
Playing with friends in the classroom or on the playground encourages social-emotional development by giving students opportunities to adapt to other people by practicing empathy, teamwork, and conflict resolution. They learn to work together with their classmates, and form important communication skills in the process.
Our ECE classes visit our Library often, and children interact there and in the classroom with a variety of literacy materials. Exploring these materials on their own, with friends, and as a class sparks students’ natural interests encourages curiosity and intrinsic motivation that inspires their life-long learning.
Our students will grow, learn, and develop in the interactive, engaging spaces we have created for them here at KAS for years to come.
Curious to learn more? If you want to learn more about our elementary school or are interested in enrolling your 4-year-old child in our ECE program, please visit our admissions page or contact us at admissions@kas.tw.
