Play and learning : blurring the boundaries

The diverse benefits of play, especially for young children, have been cited for decades (Barnett, 1990). Policy and curriculum recommendations over the years have focused on creating more learner�centred classroom transactions. The National Early Childhood Curriculum Framework (2013) makes a point for engaging young children in play-based learning. For children in the younger grades, play acquires a place of special significance. In fact, focus on the holistic development of students along with the encouragement of creativity and critical thinking (National Education Policy, 2020) makes it even more necessary for educators to develop deeper insights into principles of play-based strategies for implementation in classrooms. The implementation of play-based learning strategies for young children necessitates a well-planned curriculum and also well-prepared teachers to implement the same. In order to ‘teach’ young children, one also needs to know how children learn (UNICEF, 2018). This article will focus on the relationship of play with learning and also discuss some specific ways in which play can be used with young children across domains of development and areas of learning