At IFSEL, we’ve seen something remarkable unfold time and again.

Whether we’re with kindergartners, high schoolers, or educators in a one-day PD, and we begin with the simple intention to connect, groups can transform with the right combination of prompts, listening, and play.

We often start by saying, “In education, we talk about ‘connection before content.’ And with SEL, connection IS the content.” From there, we invite the group into an intentional energizer: a brief pause or playful moment to notice who’s in the room.

We know what some are thinking. Social media loves to poke fun at icebreakers and energizers, and we’ve seen the eye rolls (from teenagers and adults alike). But we believe in these moments so deeply that we use them in our own meetings. Why? Because when the experience/invitation is authentic, curiosity follows. Trust begins to build. And before long, laughter comes.

With that trust, we can gently stretch into the “discomfort zone” where play is not simply easeful. Stepping out of our comfort zones can bring challenge, growth, and joy. We have watched the transformation: people become lighter, more connected, and open to learning. This is why we believe play is not an “extra.” It is essential.
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The Power of Free Play in the Early Years

In the youngest grades, we know that unstructured free play is foundational. Children build whole worlds out of blocks, sticks, or scraps of fabric. They assign roles, negotiate rules, and improvise endlessly.

Research shows that in free play:

1. Creativity flourishes: Children generate up to three times more ideas when experimenting freely with everyday objects (Russ & Wallace, 2013; Singer, 2015).
2. Social norms are learned naturally: Fairness, turn-taking, and persistence emerge through playful interaction, not just direct instruction (Pellegrini & Smith, 1998).
3. Self-regulation grows: When frustration arises in play, children practice emotional resilience, communication, and problem-solving—and are motivated to persevere because the situations are meaningful to them (American Academy of Pediatrics, Ginsburg, 2007).

For young children, free play isn’t a break from learning. It is learning—the bedrock of imagination, language, and higher-order thinking.

Pause & Reflect:

1. When you were a child, what kind of play was most meaningful to you?
2. What skills or strengths do you think it helped you develop?
3. How might your students—even teenagers—still need those same
4. opportunities

Purposeful Play in the Classroom

As students grow, play evolves. Teachers can channel curiosity through purposeful play: structured, hands-on activities with clear learning goals.

Examples include:

1. Building models to explain a scientific process
2. Retelling stories with puppets, clay, or movement
3. Creating vocabulary games together in small groups

Purposeful play fosters collaboration, empathy, and deep academic understanding (Sawyer, 2017). It gives students the chance to explore content in ways that stick.

Pause & Reflect:

1. In your subject area, what is one concept or skill that could come alive through playful exploration?
2. What might students gain if they learned it through play instead of traditional methods?

Why Middle and High School Still Need Play‍

Although they don’t come out and say it, we’ve sensed that some of the upper-grade, more content-focused teachers might think there’s no place for play in their classrooms. “Aren’t they too old for play?” In truth, adolescents may need it most.

1. Mental health: Adolescents engaged in sports and playful activities show lower depression and stress in young adulthood (Oberle et al., 2014). Free, independent play has also been linked to reduced anxiety and better adaptability (Gray, 2013).
2. Engagement: Playful projects like designing board games or imaginary worlds boost investment and motivation (Resnick, 2018).
3. Focus and transitions: Short bursts of structured play help restore attention and reduce classroom chaos (Pellegrini & Bohn, 2005).

Play gives teenagers permission to be creative, collaborative, and connected—and it doesn’t have to mean sacrificing rigor.

Pause & Reflect:

1. As a high school teacher, what’s your gut reaction to the word play? Where do you feel resistance, and where do you feel curiosity?
2. Can you recall a playful project or challenge that your students really leaned into? What did you notice about their engagement?

Equity, Well-Being, and Belonging

Play is also an equity issue. Students in under-resourced schools often have fewer opportunities for recess or free exploration. Yet research shows play improves classroom behavior, engagement, and mental health—especially for students at risk of disengagement (Jarrett, 2013; Weissberg, 2015).

In a time when recess and free time have been cut back, especially post-pandemic, restoring play is one of the simplest and most powerful tools we have to counter rising stress and anxiety.
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Pause & Reflect:

1. Which of your students might benefit most from more opportunities to play?
2. What barriers might they face—and how could you lower them?

Why It’s Worth It

1. Boosts academic outcomes: Play deepens learning and improves retention (Pellegrini & Bohn, 2005).
2. Builds 21st-century skills: Communication, collaboration, creativity, adaptability (Sawyer, 2017).
3. Enhances motivation and engagement.
4. Supports mental health and resilience (Gray, 2013).
5. Works in every classroom: From playful transitions to short energizers to longer projects.

Giving Permission to Play‍

In kindergarten, free play may look like blocks, costumes, and made-up rules. In high school, it might take the form of improvisation, design challenges, or creative problem- solving games. And for teachers and staff, play can mean simple moments of connection that spark creativity and ease.

Across ages, the form shifts, but the power remains the same. Embedding play in schools is not about taking time away from learning. It’s about investing in the kind of learning that endures: learning that connects, engages, and sustains.

At IFSEL, we’ve seen how just a few minutes of play can transform a classroom or a faculty meeting. When we give students, educators, and ourselves permission to play, we unlock the possibility of thriving together.

This is at the heart of IFSEL’s vision: a world where ALL people thrive.

Pause & Reflect:

1. What would it look like for you to give yourself permission to play more—in your classroom and in your own life?
2. What small, authentic moment of play could you try with your students this week?

References

1. American Academy of Pediatrics, Ginsburg, K. R. (2007). The importance of play in promoting healthy child development and maintaining strong parent-child bonds. Pediatrics, 119(1), 182–191.
2. Fredricks, J. A., Blumenfeld, P. C., & Paris, A. H. (2004). School engagement: Potential of the concept, state of the evidence.Review of Educational Research, 74(1), 59–109.
3. Fredrickson, B. L. (2001). The role of positive emotions in positive psychology: The broaden-and-build theory of positive emotions. American Psychologist, 56(3), 218–226.
4. Pellegrini, A. D., & Smith, P. K. (1998). Physical activity play: The nature and function of a neglected aspect of play. Child Development, 69(3), 577–598.
5. Russ, S. W., & Wallace, C. E. (2013). Pretend play and creative processes. American Journal of Play, 6(1), 136– 148.
6. Sawyer, R. K. (2017). The Cambridge handbook of creativity. Cambridge University Press.
7. Singer, D. G. (2015). Play = learning: How play motivates and enhances children’s cognitive and social-emotional growth. Oxford University Press.
8. Vygotsky, L. S. (1978). Mind in society: The development of higher psychological processes. Harvard University Press.