This comprehensive book reveals how guided play—the sweet spot at which child agency meets adult intention—creates optimal conditions for deep learning while addressing required standards.
The authors present a practical, three-part framework that shows readers how to design responsive environments, facilitate meaningful guided play experiences, and document children's playful learning. Through compelling stories, authentic examples, and strategic advocacy approaches, Guided Play Principles and Practices, Pre-K to 3 demonstrates how guided play simultaneously enhances student engagement and aligns with academic standards. This is essential reading for educators committed to honoring how children naturally learn, while successfully navigating today's demanding educational landscape.
Book Features:
Evidence-Based Framework Based on Real Implementation—provides the first systematic framework for guided play developed through actual classroom implementation and documented success. Free Downloadable Supporting Resources—contains visual documentation from real classrooms, reflection prompts, communication templates, and step-by-step implementation guides. Comprehensive Documentation and Assessment System—features detailed protocols for capturing and analyzing children's learning through play, transforming documentation from simple photo-taking into a powerful tool for assessment, reflection, and advocacy. Multi-Level Advocacy Toolkit—includes strategic advocacy approaches for engaging administrators, families, and policymakers, featuring research summaries and strategies for building institutional support for play-based learning.
By:
Karen DuBois-Garofalo,
Jennifer Berube,
Sarah Bond
Foreword by:
Kathy Hirsh-Pasek
Imprint: Teachers' College Press
Country of Publication: United States
Dimensions:
Height: 229mm,
Width: 156mm,
ISBN: 9780807783573
ISBN 10: 0807783579
Pages: 224
Publication Date: 27 March 2026
Audience:
Professional and scholarly
,
Undergraduate
Format: Hardback
Publisher's Status: Active
Contents Foreword vii Acknowledgments xi Introduction 1 A Legislative Action 2 Our Coaching Solution 3 Developing a Framework 5 The Book’s Structure 10 1. The Science of Playful Learning 12 Making the Case for Play 13 The Science of How Children Learn 15 Putting the Science of Play Into Practice 24 Conclusion 27 2. A Three-Part Framework for Implementing Guided Play 28 The Structure of the Guided Play Framework 28 Conclusion 44 3. The Art of Guided Play 46 A Philosophical Shift 47 The Role of the Environment as the “Third Teacher” 50 Defining Teachers’ Roles as Facilitators of Guided Play 65 Conclusion: Trust the Process, Transform the Practice 74 4. The Critical Role of Reflection 75 Guided Play Facilitator as a Reflective Practitioner 76 The Role of Reflection in Learning 79 Reflection Within the Guided Play Framework 80 Strategies for Reflecting With Children 81 Conclusion: Building a Reflective Learning Community 89 5. Documentation of Learning Through Guided Play 90 Documentation Is a Reflective Process 90 The Documentation Cycle 91 Documentation as Assessment 101 Integrating the Documentation Process Within the Guided Play Framework 102 Documentation as a Tool for Advocacy 108 Conclusion 108 6. Advocating for Play-Based Learning: Building Bridges and Breaking Barriers 110 Why Advocacy Matters Now 111 Understanding Your Context and Audiences 112 Navigating Common Barriers: The Barriers and Bridges Framework 116 Advocacy Tools and Approaches 119 Reflecting on the Advocacy Landscape: A Holistic Perspective 129 When Advocacy Faces Challenges: Adapting and Persevering 129 Conclusion: The Ripple Effect of Play Advocacy 131 Appendices: Guided Play Resources and Templates 133 Appendix A: Getting Started With Guided Play Template: A 4-Week Implementation Guide for Teachers 134 Appendix B: Integrating Guided Play Into the Day and Sample Daily Schedule 140 Appendix C: Supporting All Learners Through Guided Play: A Resource for Children Who Are Multilingual Learners, Children With Disabilities, and Children With Diverse Learning Needs 142 Appendix D: Open-Ended Questions for Guided Play 148 Appendix E: Documentation Presentation Strategies: Documentation “Panel” 150 Appendix F: Documentation Presentation Strategies: Digital Documentation 151 Appendix G: Documentation Presentation Strategies: Interactive Documentation 152 Appendix H: Documentation Analysis and Responsive Action Templates 153 Appendix I: Documentation Linking Play to Standards Template 158 Appendix J: Classroom Observation Guide for Play-Based Learning 163 Appendix K: Communication Templates for Playful Learning Advocacy 173 Appendix L: Sample Playful Learning Standards Crosswalk for Kindergarten 184 Appendix M: (Play Invitation) Crosswalk—Blank Template 194 References 195 Index 203 About the Authors 212
Karen DuBois-Garofalo is the Playful Learning Project director/coach at the University of New Hampshire. Jennifer Berube is a coach, educator, and researcher in play pedagogy and teacher well-being. Sarah Bond is an educator, coach, and consultant in early learning, leadership, and systems design.
