Let's Play! The Power of Play as a Teaching Tool in the Elementary and Early Childhood Classroom
By: Jessica Moore
For the summer of 2021, I was awarded an Adrian Tinsley Program (ATP) grant. This allowed me to complete a research project of my choosing. This project was the start of my honors thesis which will be completed in December of 2021. My project explored play-based learning in the elementary and early childhood classroom. I have created this website to present my findings and share them with the world. You will find information about the benefits of play for both students and teachers. You will also find ways that you can incorporate play into your classroom. Although this website is targeted for educators, anyone will be able to learn from the information provided.
About the Researcher
Hello! My name is Jessica and I am a senior at Bridgewater State University in Bridgewater, MA. I am studying Early Childhood Education and Psychology with a minor in Special Education Professional Practices. For 2 summers I worked at a play-based summer camp for children with social and emotional challenges. This camp helped me to see the power of play. Upon reflection of observation hours I had conducted for my education classes, I realized that there wasn't as much play found in classrooms as I had originally thought. This inspired me to want to explore play-based learning and ways to incorporate it into classrooms. My hope is that my research will also inspire you to integrate play-based learning into your classroom.
Presentations
ATP Symposium: October 22nd, 2021, 3:45pm-5pm
Bridgewater State University Mid-Year Symposium: December 2nd, 2021, 12:30pm-1:45pm
Thesis Presentation to the Department of Elementary and Early Childhood Education: December 16, 2021, 3-4pm
NCUR 2022 @Home, April 5th, 2022
Get in Touch with the Researcher
If you are interested in learning more about my research, have questions or just want to chat, please feel free to reach out to me. I will get back to you as soon as possible.
Bridgewater State University
