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Learning Through Play
It is widely believed that children learn by playing, but if you observe children’s play activities, you may notice that the process of ‘playing’ is inherently unsystematic. This contradiction has made the question of how children learn during play of particular interest to parents, teachers and researchers. To find out what play is all about, cognitive scientists have developed and are testing theories about how children might learn through play.
Ramps
Does competition affect children’s reasoning?
Previous research indicates that until around age 8, children typically do not control variables in experiments as scientists do.
This study investigates whether children have the ability to control variables at a younger age, if given the proper context.
Children age 5-6 are shown a V-shaped ramp. A ball dropped from one side of the ramp rolls down one leg and then up the other leg of the ramp. Children are shown two variables: two heights for the ramp and two colored balls.
In the neutral condition, the researcher asks children which variable makes a difference for where the ball will land: maybe it’s the height of the ramp or maybe it’s the kind of ball. In the competitive condition, the researcher tells the children: “We think it is the height of the ramp that matters, but over at the ‘silly school’ they think it is the kind of ball that matters”. Children are asked to prove that we are right and the ‘silly school’ is wrong.
In both conditions children are allowed to play with the ramp on their own, and are then asked to show that height matters and the kind of ball does not. We predict children in the competitive condition will be more likely to show that height does matter (supporting one hypothesis) and that the kind of ball does not matter (disproving the other hypothesis).
This study will help us better understand whether, within a competitive context, children have the ability to control variables at a younger age.
Learn about other research related to Learning Through Play.
This research is conducted by the Early Childhood Cognition Lab at MIT
Try it at the Museum
Build A Pipe Track!
Help your child create and test a ball run with the Pipes Exhibit on the second floor of the Discovery Center. Will a curvy or straight track get the ball to the bottom the fastest? Does a red ball or a blue ball work best? Have your child test a theory and find out!
Which variable is most important: the ball or the track? If your child proves one theory, can he/she disprove the other one? If your child thinks it's the ball that matters, what happens if you tell your child you think it's the type of track that matters most?
Try it at Home
Rolling Along
Find two toys in your home that roll, such as two different types of balls (i.e.: a tennis ball and a baseball) or two toys with wheels (i.e.: a car and a truck). Next, choose two types of surfaces to roll these toys on and have a race! Indoors, try racing your toys on tile, wood floor, or carpet. Outdoors, try racing on grass, cement or asphalt. Which toy and surface combination will help your toy travel the farthest distance when given a push? Ask your child to guess which toy and surface combination will work best. Test your guesses together and engage your child in a friendly competition to see who can pick a toy and surface combination that can go the distance.
The Living Laboratory initiative is made possible through support from the National Science Foundation.