Play Is the Plan

Melissa Laurie
Jun 18
2 min read

Designing Joyful Learning That’s Meaningful, Rigorous, and Full of Wonder

At The GAP Lab, we believe that play is not the opposite of learning. It is learning.

But in a world of pacing guides, test prep, and performance anxiety, play often gets sidelined, especially in upper elementary and middle grades. The message becomes: It’s time to get serious now.

Here’s the truth: the more complex the content, the more we need play to process it. When students are invited to create, experiment, and explore, they build deeper understanding and a deeper love for learning.

Let’s talk about how to design playful curriculum that doesn’t sacrifice standards, structure, or intention, but instead, makes learning stick.

Why Play Matters (Especially in Big Kid Classrooms)

Play:

Builds executive function skills like planning, flexibility, and focus.
Encourages creative problem-solving and risk-taking.
Strengthens collaboration and communication.
Increases engagement and memory retention.
Supports mental health, resilience, and joy.

It’s not just “fun”—it’s fundamental.

What Play-Based Curriculum Looks Like

You don’t need glitter or chaos to invite play into your classroom. Playful learning can be:

Open-ended challenges
- “Build a machine that moves using only natural materials.”
Creative expression
- storytelling through shadow puppets, nature journals, or skits
Game-based learning
- ecosystem tag, math scavenger hunts, student-invented board games
Simulations and role play
- colonial town hall, survival decision-making, mock science expeditions)\

The common thread? Choice, exploration, and joy.

A Playful Planning Framework

Use this guide to spark playful thinking in your next unit:

Prompt	Example
What’s the “hook” that makes this irresistible?	A mystery object, secret mission, real-world problem
Where can students take the lead?	Choose the format, the roles, the tools, or the topic
What materials invite creativity?	Natural loose parts, recycled goods, dress-up boxes
How will you assess understanding through doing?	Reflection journals, group share-outs, building something
How can we connect play to standards?	Map back to skills: collaboration, writing, modeling, etc.

Play + Rigor = Magic

It’s not either/or. It’s both/and.

Your unit on the water cycle doesn’t have to be dry (pun intended). Try:

Creating a water droplet persona and writing their journey
Using scarves and bodies to model states of matter
Building a rain-catcher system using STEM materials

Standards? Check. Joy? Double check.

Final Thoughts

Designing playful curriculum doesn’t mean you’re not serious about learning. It means you’re serious about how learning happens best.

So next time you’re writing a lesson plan, start here:

What would make this feel more like play?

Let joy lead the way.