Transcript

Welcome to lesson 4! Today, we’re tackling an essential question: how do we assess learning when it’s happening through play? If the idea of assessing without tests or worksheets sounds daunting, don’t worry. By the end of this session, you’ll see that assessing through play isn’t just doable—it’s insightful, effective, and empowering. Let’s get started!

Before we dive into the how, let’s talk about why assessing learning through play matters.

•Captures the Whole Child: Play-based assessment allows you to see cognitive, social, emotional, and physical growth all at once. You’re not just checking for right answers; you’re observing problem-solving, creativity, collaboration, and resilience.

•Authentic Contexts: Play-based assessment happens in real time, during activities children naturally enjoy and are invested in. This gives you a more accurate picture of their true abilities.

•Reduces Stress: Traditional assessments can feel high-pressure for young children. Play, on the other hand, keeps them relaxed and engaged.

Think about it: How many times have you seen a child’s brilliance shine through during free play or group activities, only for it to be missed in a standardized test? Play-based assessment captures those moments. This is what I wished I had when I was growing up. It was all about assessments and I did not thrive on assessments.

Let’s compare traditional assessment methods to play-based ones to highlight the differences.”

Traditional Methods:

• Rely on worksheets, quizzes, and tests.

• Focus on specific academic outcomes.

• Provide quantitative results but often miss qualitative insights.

• Can feel rigid and disconnected from a child’s lived experiences.

Play-Based Assessment:

• Rely on observation, documentation, and dialogue.

•Focus on the process, not just the product.

•Provide a holistic view of a child’s learning journey.

•Encourage a dynamic and interactive teacher-student relationship.

Both methods have their place, but play-based assessment offers a richness that goes beyond grades. It tells the story behind the numbers.

Not only does documenting learning help you assess progress, but it also provides valuable insights for planning future activities and communicating with parents. These records demonstrate how play-based learning supports curriculum goals in the early years and can give you some powerful evidence of its impact.

Steps to Implement

Now, let’s break it down into practical steps you can implement in your classroom.

1. Observation:

• Watch how children engage during play. Are they problem-solving? Collaborating? Experimenting?
• Look for milestones, such as using complex language, demonstrating empathy, or persistence in a task.

2. Documentation:

• Take notes, photos, or videos of children during play. These become evidence of their learning.
• Example: Document a child building a block tower and narrating their process. Note their use of spatial reasoning and vocabulary.

3. Reflection and Analysis:

• Review your documentation to identify patterns and progress over time.
• Ask yourself: What skills are emerging? What challenges are they working through?

4. Conversations with Students:

• Engage children in discussions about their play. Ask open-ended questions like:
  • “What are you building?”
  • “How did you figure that out?”
  • “What will you try next?”

I’ve created a printable of dialogue prompts you can use with your own students. You can download it above.

Example of Dialogue

The scene is a group of preschoolers are playing with blocks, building a castle together. The teacher, Ms. Lily, is observing and interacting with them.

Ms. Lily: “Wow, look at that tall tower you’re building! What kind of castle is it going to be?”

Max: “A dragon castle!”

Mia: “Yeah, with a big, scary dragon!”

Ms. Lily: “Oh, that’s exciting! What color will the dragon be?”

Max: “Purple!”

Mia: “And it will have lots of spikes!”

Ms. Lily: “Can you show me how the dragon might fly around the castle?”

Max: (makes a swooping motion with his hand) “Like this!”

Mia: “And it will breathe fire!” (makes a blowing sound)

Ms. Lily: “What will the dragon guard in the castle? Maybe a treasure chest?”

Ben: “A gold treasure chest!”

Ms. Lily: “Can you build a chest for the dragon’s treasure using some of the smaller blocks?”

Ben: (begins carefully stacking blocks) “Yes!”

Ms. Lily: “And what kind of treasure will the dragon be guarding?”

Mia: “Shiny jewels!”

Max: “And gold coins!”

Ms. Lily: “Let’s add some sparkly stickers to make the treasure look even more special!”

Later, as the castle is almost complete, Ms. Lily encourages collaborative play.

Ms. Lily: “What if we all work together to make a bridge to get to the dragon’s castle?”

Children: (enthusiastically start building a bridge with the remaining blocks)

Max: “We need a big, strong bridge!”

Mia: “Let’s make it a drawbridge so the dragon can’t get through!”

As the children finish their castle and bridge, Ms. Lily asks open-ended questions to encourage reflection on their play.

Ms. Lily: “What did you like most about building this castle?”

Max: “The dragon!”

Mia: “I liked adding the treasure!”

Ben: “Building the bridge was fun!”

Ms. Lily: “Can you tell me about a time you might have seen a dragon in a story or movie? How was it similar to our dragon castle?”

Key points from this interaction:

• Open-ended questions:

Ms. Lily encourages children to elaborate on their ideas and imagination through questions like “What kind of castle is it?” and “What color will the dragon be?”

• Scaffolding:

She provides support by suggesting ideas like adding a treasure chest or a bridge to further the play.

• Active listening:

Ms. Lily pays attention to the children’s ideas and incorporates them into the play narrative.

• Encouraging collaboration:

She prompts the children to work together to create a more complex structure.

• Reflection and connection to real-world experiences:

Ms. Lily asks questions to help children connect their play to their own knowledge and experiences.

5. Sharing

Lastly, you can share observations and documentation with families to create a fuller picture of the child’s learning. This would be great to do during conferences.

Tip: Invite parents to share what they’ve observed about their child’s play at home.

Examples of Play-Based Assessment in Action

Here are some scenarios to illustrate how you can assess through play.

1. Dramatic Play Area – A group of children playing “restaurant.” One child writes a menu, another “serves” food, and a third calculates the bill. Skills Assessed: Literacy (writing), social skills (collaboration), math (addition and subtraction).

2. Building with Blocks – A child builds a bridge, explaining why they chose certain blocks. Skills Assessed: Engineering concepts, problem-solving, spatial awareness.

3. Art Station – A child mixes colors to paint a sunset, describing how they achieved specific shades. Skills Assessed: Creativity, fine motor skills, scientific thinking.

4. Science Station – A child plays with different magnetic objects and discovers that the magnetic block sticks to the metal bar on the table! Skills Assessed: Scientific thinking, problem-solving, creativity, logical reasoning.

You might be thinking, ‘This sounds great, but will I have time for it?’ Or maybe, ‘How do I prove progress without test scores?’ Let’s tackle these concerns.

Demonstrating Progress:

• Create portfolios for each child with photos, notes, and samples of their work.

• Use rubrics or narrative reports to align observations with curriculum standards. (Great for older students!)

• Use tools like sticky notes or a quick checklist to streamline documentation.

Remember, assessing through play doesn’t have to be perfect or overwhelming. Even small steps can make a big difference. Trust the process and celebrate the insights you’re uncovering.

As we close this lesson, let’s reflect.

• Think about a play activity you already use in your classroom. How could you assess learning during that activity?

• What tools or strategies can you start using tomorrow to document and analyze play?

You’re already doing amazing things by bringing play into your classroom. Adding assessment to the mix is just another way to highlight the incredible growth happening every day. You’ve got this, and I’m here to support you every step of the way. See you in the next lesson!