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Learning Through Play

Gain the skills to facilitate play in learning as you discover the importance of play for childhood development.

Group of three children photographed from above on various painted tarmac surface at sunset with 3 arrows pointing in 3 different directions.
  • Duration

    11 weeks
  • Weekly study

    4 hours
This course is part of the Learning Through Play program, which will enable you to understand the importance of play-based learning.

This course focuses on the importance of play in early childhood development.

In this course you will learn about play, and why play is an important and fundamental right of all children. You’ll explore the ways in which play can have a positive impact on the social, emotional, physical, and mental development of all children.

Skip to 0 minutes and 0 seconds (bright music)

Skip to 0 minutes and 10 seconds <v ->Learning Through Play is all about learning by doing.</v> This course is designed to get you experimenting, designing, and reflecting on experience with play in order to understand why play is so important to children’s development. This 11-week course will outline the opportunity of play to children and the benefits it creates socially, emotionally, physically, and mentally. You’ll learn what play is and why play is an important right for all children. Along the way, you’ll consider the key characteristics of play and learn how to create your own activities and play spaces. Through hands-on activities and challenges, you’ll develop curriculum about play and harness your role working in the early childhood profession.

Skip to 0 minutes and 57 seconds By learning about the importance of play, you’ll become a better advocate for play in early childhood settings. Welcome to Learning Through Play. We can’t wait to see what you’ll discover. (bright music continues)

What topics will you cover?

Week 01 - Play is the way

Week 02 - What is play?

Week 03 - Learning to play

Week 04 - Why play?

Week 05 - Play environments

Week 06 - Curriculum in play

Week 07 - Learning to play: Roleplay

Week 08 - Diversity in play

Week 09 - The role of the educator

Week 10 - Play presentation

Week 11 - Bringing it all together

Learning on this course

On every step of the course you can meet other learners, share your ideas and join in with active discussions in the comments.

What will you achieve?

By the end of the course, you‘ll be able to...

  • Demonstrate an understanding of the role of space and materials in the play of young learners
  • Engage in communicating the value of play for children's learning and development and advocate for children's right to play
  • Apply theoretical understanding to plan teaching and learning experiences across curriculum areas using play-based approaches

Who is the course for?

This course is aimed at early educators and those involved in roles of early childhood development. The course aims to highlight the need for creative play in children’s development and how, through allowing for play, children may develop necessary skills for later life.

What software or tools do you need?

A PDF viewer is recommended for learners to access non-essential resources provided for learners benefit. Learners will not need any specialised software to complete this course.

Who developed the course?

Federation University

Federation University Australia is a premium dual-sector university that has been educating the leaders, innovators and thinkers of regional Australia for over 150 years.

  • Established

    1870
  • Location

    Ballarat, Berwick, Gippsland, Wimmera

Learning on FutureLearn

Your learning, your rules

  • Courses are split into weeks, activities, and steps to help you keep track of your learning
  • Learn through a mix of bite-sized videos, long- and short-form articles, audio, and practical activities
  • Stay motivated by using the Progress page to keep track of your step completion and assessment scores

Join a global classroom

  • Experience the power of social learning, and get inspired by an international network of learners
  • Share ideas with your peers and course educators on every step of the course
  • Join the conversation by reading, @ing, liking, bookmarking, and replying to comments from others

Map your progress

  • As you work through the course, use notifications and the Progress page to guide your learning
  • Whenever you’re ready, mark each step as complete, you’re in control
  • Complete 90% of course steps and all of the assessments to earn your certificate

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