Learning about learning through play

The other day Big Girl, Baby Boy and I were out driving in Covent Garden at 8.30 in the morning on a weekday. We were going to private members club The Hospital Club to join a roundtable with toy company VTech and child psychologist Dr Angharad Rudkin.

The reason I was determined to shorten our breakfast at home and take the crew to the event was because the topic was learning through play, which is something that has become increasingly important to me to find out more about considering the sometimes contradictory messages in the news.

One day it’s all about introducing structured learning from an earlier age, and the next day it seems to be about giving children more time to play until an older age.

The competitive school situation in London has made me more tuned in on the topic, as I grew up in Norway, where the main focus in the early years was play and there were only weekly educational themed group sessions in nursery, which is very different from our London experience.

As a parent, I want my preschooler to keep learning since I can see it gives her confidence and she enjoys it, but I also want to let her be little and have time to play. At the event, Dr Rudkin stressed that research reports won’t take into account that all children are different and grow up in different environments.

In other words, it is difficult to argue that one format is best for all children. Right now, I’m glad it’s not all structured learning in nursery, but that Big Girl also has time for free play. I think pretend play, for example, is great for building vocabulary, and playing with other children and making friends is also a vital part of growing up.

When it comes to toys, the VTech preschool toy director explained how the company focuses on toys with a purpose, with preschool toys often including educational themes. Baby Boy and Big Girl had the opportunity to take some toys home with them after the event, and I was impressed with the Toot Toot range.

The Toot-Toot Animals Farm, for example, features a vegetable garden, where little ones can pretend to water the carrots and then see them grow. The electronic cow that comes with the farm also says ‘c’ for cow, introducing children to phonics, and it sings a pretty catchy tune about the fact it produces nutritious milk.

The preschool recipe for a happy mum and child seems to be toys offering a mix of entertainment value and educational value. Fun for all!

Tags: Education, Educational toys, Independent prep schools, Nursery education, Phonics, Preschoolers, The Hospital Club, VTech