How children learn through four types of play.
Week One: Functional Play
Through each type of play, children are building skills and understanding that will serve them in all areas of life. Play is their most natural and effective way of learning—it is their “work.” We recognise the tremendous learning opportunities that emerge from play. In early childhood, every block stacked, every role played, and every game followed is a stepping stone in your child’s journey of discovery and growth. Let’s celebrate the power of play together!
At Curious Kind, we are passionate advocates for the power of play. For young children, play is so much more than just fun; it’s their way of exploring, learning, and making sense of the world. As early childhood educators, we recognise that children don’t see a divide between play and “work.” For them, play IS their work – each playful moment is an opportunity to discover, experiment, and grow.
Over the next few weeks we will take a closer look at four different types of play identified by early childhood psychologist Sara Smilansky. These types of play – Functional Play, Constructive Play, Games with Rules, and Dramatic Play – each foster essential skills and contribute to a well-rounded learning experience for young children. Firstly, we will focus on functional play.
What is functional play?
Functional play is the first stage of play in a child’s early years. At this stage, children focus on exploring an object’s physical properties. They touch, taste, drop, roll, and throw objects to learn what they can do. A block is just a block; a lid is simply something to twist open or close.
In functional play, children engage with objects as they are. This exploration strengthens their sensory and motor skills and lays the foundation for more complex types of play. You might see a toddler spending minutes rolling a ball back and forth or experimenting with how high they can stack blocks before they fall. These activities might seem simple, but they’re essential for developing fine and gross motor skills, as well as hand-eye coordination.
Functional Play in practice:
You don’t need special toys for this stage—everyday objects work wonders! Offer items like treasure baskets with safe household items, or let your child explore items like lids, fabric, balls, or even water play in the bathtub. Functional play is all about hands-on discovery.
At Curious Kind, we embrace the power of functional play as a cornerstone of our approach in both our full-time program and Curious Cubs playgroup. Functional play, which focuses on simple, repetitive activities like stacking blocks, pouring, and sorting, helps children develop essential motor skills and coordination. Through thoughtfully designed activities in our playgroups and full-time programme, we encourage children to explore their environment while building confidence in their abilities. Whether it’s using everyday objects to practice pouring or constructing towers to understand balance, functional play lays a strong foundation for cognitive and physical growth. By integrating these activities into our daily routines, we create a nurturing environment where children learn through doing, fostering curiosity and hands-on discovery.