A group of kindergarteners huddled around Central Elementary teacher Andrea James as she unveiled a new wooden miniature kitchen playset. Before the students got to explore, James asked the students a few questions about how to properly use the kitchen. 

“At your house, does your family put dishes and food wherever they want? Or does it all have a place?” she asked the students. 

“Milk goes in the fridge, and some stuff like ice cream goes in the freezer,” said one student. Another student noted that there were specific baskets labeled to keep the plastic fruits and vegetables in. 

Within a couple minutes, the kindergarteners were playing house – cooking with plastic food, washing plastic dishes, and taking turns with different toys. While they were engrossed in their play, they were also learning valuable organizational and interpersonal skills. 

“They’re learning where everything goes, how to clean up, how to work together, and how to share,” James said. “Play-based learning allows kids to take ownership of their learning and take responsibility in the classroom.” 

This fall, every kindergarten and transitional kindergarten classroom in Ferndale School District is receiving new materials and furniture to better serve our youngest learners. Much of these new additions – recommended by the district’s Early Learning Task Force – are intended to emphasize learning through play. The change also ensures an equitable kindergarten experience through play, ensuring that each child is able to access learning in a developmentally appropriate manner. 

These new materials include wooden kitchen playsets, opportunities for dramatic play, blocks, books, and sensory tables than be filled with sand, water, or pebble-like materials. Some of these materials are specifically designed to boost fine motor skills, such as “lacing puzzles” – where students lace string through little holes on the edge of a wooden board – and other materials that support educational outcomes. 

Each class now has six main areas that students can choose to visit during choice time, or “work time”: Art Area, Block Area, Home Area, Library Area, Toy Area, and Writing Area. Early Learning Specialist Nina Ballew said dividing the classroom into specific, clearly labeled areas helps students learn independence and figure out for themselves what they’d like to do that day. 

“When you go into a store that isn’t labeled and is hard to navigate, it’s hard to be efficient and stay regulated,” she said. “We want kids to be able to navigate the room independently and autonomously.” 

Skyline kindergarten teacher Kristin Kelly said play-based learning is an effective method for educating young students and teaching them interpersonal skills. 

“On Friday, in the Home Area, one student was finding it too busy, so she problem-solved and said, ‘I need space.’” Kelly said. “Those are things that don’t necessarily happen if we’re just sitting at tables.” 

Kelly added that she can teach her students more effectively through play-based learning. 

“I learn so much more about my students when I’m down on the floor with them, instead of just watching them work,” she said.  

Play-based learning also prompts students to take risks and learn from their mistakes, said Custer kindergarten teacher Lindsey Beach. 

“They need to try and fail and try again, and when you’re playing, it’s super safe to fail,” she said. “With other types of work, failure can be a little scarier.” 

Teachers can use play to subtly teach students skills like math, Ballew said. 

“Maybe the student already has the skill of counting to five, so now they need to know how to count to 10,” she said. “When that child is making cookies in the Home Area, the teacher can sit down and ask for 10 cookies. For the child, they’re just playing, but for the teacher, it’s really intentional.” 

Ballew added that it has been shown time and again that when children learn both social and academic skills through play, they learn at higher rates and with better outcomes than if they were learning without play.  

“With play-based learning, we’re teaching to the whole child – not just the academics,” she said. “I’m excited to watch how far our students in Ferndale can come as they learn through play and with these new materials.” 

One major benefit of the new classroom equipment is that all furniture – desks, cabinets, and more – are all small enough for kindergarteners to easily use. This allows students to see their options more clearly and make choices with confidence. 

“It’s developmentally appropriate, it’s sturdy, and it’s their size,” said Custer transitional kindergarten teacher Jennifer Petersen. 

Ferndale as a whole can benefit economically from ensuring that each of our youngest students has access to a developmentally appropriate education which includes a healthy, high-quality classroom environment. Studies have shown that for every $1 invested in early childhood education, the public receives a $4 to $9 return due to increased tax revenues and lower costs of crime and welfare. Students in high-equality early learning programs also tend to earn higher salaries as adults. 

Many Ferndale kindergarten/transitional kindergarten teachers said they were excited about the new materials and play-based learning focus. 

“I’m just really excited that they get to come in and learn while being kids,” said Kelly, the Skyline kindergarten teacher. 

“It makes my heart happy,” added Petersen. “I feel like this is going to be really good for Ferndale, and good for other districts to see too – if they’re not already doing this, we’ll be a good model.”