Is your childcare fee just paying for playtime?

Most of us know play is good for our kids. But when you're paying for a day of childcare, it's natural to wonder how the play at your centre is any different from your little one building Lego in the lounge room or running around the local playground.

It's a question we hear from parents all the time, so we asked an expert. Nadia Wilson-Ali is an early childhood education leader, researcher and mum, and director of education and quality at Nido Early School, where she works with educators across the country on what quality looks like for young children.

Here's what play-based learning means in practice, how to spot quality play on a centre tour, and why parents of kinder kids can relax about formal academics.

What does play-based learning mean in childcare?

Play-based learning means children learn through play, with educators carefully planning experiences so learning happens while children are simply having fun. Nadia describes it as a vehicle heading to a learning destination.

"The teacher is driving that vehicle to help children understand how to get to where they need to go without actually realising that any of this is happening."

Play-based learning is also part of the national framework every approved service follows. The Early Years Learning Framework (EYLF) guides learning for children from birth to five, and play sits at its heart. As Nadia puts it, "we recognise as a nation that play is the best way for children to learn."

What are the three types of play in early learning?

All play is valuable, and if children are playing, they're learning. In an early learning setting, you'll usually see three types:

• Free play. Your child chooses what to do, and there's no set agenda from an educator.
• Play-based learning. An educator has a goal in mind for what children might learn, and shapes the play to get there.
• Intentional play. The learning is more explicit, but it's still taught in a playful way.

Handwashing is a good example of intentional play. The steps matter, so educators teach them directly, often with a song or a little dance on the way to the bathroom.

How is play-based learning at childcare different from play at home?

The difference between play at home and play at childcare is the thinking behind it. Educators plan experiences with a purpose, then step in at the right moments to stretch your child's learning further.

Take blowing bubbles. On a program, it might look like the simplest activity of the day. But an educator may have planned it to help children practise slow breathing, an early skill for managing big feelings.

Asking questions instead of giving answers

Good educators often guide play with a question rather than an answer. Nadia shared a story from one of Nido's services, where children had been learning that plants need light to grow. One little girl came back from a weekend of sushi with a question for her teacher: "If plants need sunlight to grow, then how does seaweed grow when it's under the water?"

Instead of answering straight away, an educator can turn a question like that into a whole project, with books, experiments and plenty of trial and error. For the child, it doesn't feel like work at all. It feels like following her own curiosity.

What does play-based learning look like for babies?

For children under two, relationships come first. A good sign of quality in the baby room is when each child's home routines, like how they settle to sleep or like to be fed, are reflected in their day.

From there, learning happens through the senses and simple games. Researchers see the first 1,000 days of life as a key time for brain development, so babies benefit from lots of new sights, sounds, smells, tastes and textures. Even peekaboo is learning. It teaches babies that things still exist when they're hidden, an idea called object permanence.

What does quality play-based learning look like in childcare?

Quality play-based learning shows up as a healthy balance of free play and planned learning across the day, with educators who join in and can explain the purpose behind each activity. Nadia suggests looking at the day as a whole, rather than judging a single moment.

"You don't want a full day on simply free play where there is no intentionality. We also don't want a day where the play is very, very intentional and children don't have autonomy and agency."

Here's what to look for when you walk into a room:

• A mix of play types. Children have time to choose their own play, alongside experiences educators have planned.
• Uninterrupted time to play. Longer stretches let children build complex ideas, negotiate with friends and solve problems.
• Educators who join in. Look for educators asking questions that nudge children's thinking along, rather than directing every step.
• Lots of ways to show learning. Painting, clay, movement, mark making and talking all count. Nido follows the Reggio Emilia approach, which calls this the "hundred languages" of children.
• Educators who can explain the why. They should be able to tell you what children are learning from what you can see.

Does play-based learning prepare children for school?

Yes. Play builds the early literacy and numeracy skills children take into school, so kinder parents don't need to worry about worksheets or flashcards. In fact, they're very subtle but also sophisticated experiences that educators are offering to children every day, in those everyday moments that build up to early literacy and numeracy skills.

Where the academic learning hides

• Building a block tower. Children explore measurement, shape and colour, and make predictions about how tall they can go. When it falls, they practise resilience and work out how to build it better.
• Lining up from shortest to tallest. This is order, comparison and measurement in action.
• Writing signs and labels for the room. Children learn that marks carry meaning, which leads into letter recognition.
• Following a big question. In quality kinder rooms, you'll often see projects built around children's own questions rather than set themes. Researching the answer brings in reading, science and problem solving.

Getting ready for school in a rounded way

Kinder educators encourage children to share their learning in the way that suits them best, and also help them build skills in the areas that come less naturally. A child who loves writing might be encouraged to paint, too. This balance helps children feel confident when they start school.

It all links back to the EYLF outcomes, which focus on children's sense of identity, connection with their world, wellbeing, confidence as learners, and communication.

What should I ask about play-based learning on a childcare tour?

The best way to understand a centre's approach to play is to ask educators directly and look at how learning is planned. Ask to see the educational program, which might be written up weekly or monthly, and have an educator talk you through it.

Try asking:

• Can you walk me through today's program and what children are learning from it?
• How do you balance free play with planned learning across the day?
• How do you respond when a child asks a big question?
• What different ways can children show what they've learnt?
• How do you bring your philosophy to life with this age group?

Is play-based learning the same in Montessori, Reggio Emilia and Steiner centres?

Play-based learning looks similar across these approaches, and all of them follow the EYLF. Think of it like travelling from Perth to Melbourne: you can fly, take the train or even walk, but you'll end up in the same place. Each learning philosophy is simply a different route to the same outcomes for children.

What matters most is how the educators in your child's room bring that philosophy to life. That's why spending time in the rooms on a tour tells you more than any brochure.

How Care for Kids can help you find a play-based centre

Finding a centre where play is thoughtful and your child feels at home is easier when you can see your options side by side.

• Search childcare near you. Use the Care for Kids childcare search to find services close to home or work.
• Shortlist and compare. Save your favourites and compare cost, location and learning approach in one place.
• Tour with confidence. Take our childcare centre tour checklist along, with the questions above added in.
• Learn more about each approach. Read our deep dives on Reggio Emilia and the Montessori approach.

How can parents support play-based learning at home?

Parents can support play-based learning by weaving play into everyday routines like shopping and cooking, with no special activities needed. Nadia's advice is to use what your family is already doing, without any guilt.

• Make the shopping list together. Ask your child to add the milk when it runs out, then let them bring the list to the shops and help find each item.
• Cook a recipe of the week. Measuring and counting ingredients brings in plenty of maths.
• Count to 10 before expecting an answer. Young children, especially under twos, need a little extra time to process what we say. You'll be surprised by what comes out when you pause.
• Ask "What do you think?" When your child asks a question, turn it back to them before answering. It takes no extra time and gets them thinking.
• Spend time together. Being present and playful yourself is one of the most valuable things you can offer.

Choosing a childcare centre that values play

The next time your little one comes home talking about lining up from shortest to tallest or blowing bubbles, you'll know there's more going on than meets the eye. Play really is how children learn best. When you're ready to find a centre where that play is thoughtful and your child feels at home, Care for Kids is here to help you compare your options.

Want to hear more from Nadia? Listen to her full conversation with Anika on episode 7 of our podcast, Between Us Mums, made in partnership with Nido Early School.

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FAQs

How much screen time is okay for children at childcare?

The Australian 24-Hour Movement Guidelines recommend no screen time for children under 2, and no more than one hour a day for children aged 2 to 5. Some childcare centres use tablets or cameras as learning tools, for example to research a child's question or photograph a project. Ask your centre how and when screens are used in the room.

What should I ask when my child says they "just played" at childcare?

When your child says they "just played" at childcare, try more specific questions like "What did you build today?" or "Who did you sit with at lunch?". You can also check your centre's app for learning stories, and ask educators what your child has been curious about lately.

Is play-based learning suitable for children with additional needs?

Yes. Play-based learning can be adapted to suit each child's abilities and interests, which makes it a good fit for children with additional needs. The Australian Government's Inclusion Support Program also helps mainstream childcare services build their capacity to include children with additional needs. Talk to the centre about your child's needs before they start.

What school readiness skills does play-based learning build?

Play-based learning builds the social and practical skills children need for school, such as making friends, taking turns, following simple instructions, managing big feelings and looking after their own belongings. Your child's kinder teacher is the best person to talk to about how your child is tracking before school starts.