Abstract
Should kindy and pre-primary students need to spend more time playing?
There's growing concern among teachers, parents and academics that play based learning in early childhood is declining and harming the development of young children.
And school principals are being blamed for being too concerned about NAPLAN results and insisting on more structured learning.
This Focus discussion examines the issue with Sue Briggs, who had a 40 year career in education as a teacher and consultant, Dr Sandra Hesterman, Director of Early Childhood Education at Murdoch University and journalist and mum Daile Cross.