How Policymakers Can Support Play-Based Learning in Public Schools

In the wake of declining NAEP scores, rising student disengagement, and record-high teacher attrition, it’s easy to feel like US public education is in crisis. As we argued in our February 8th post, the real problem isn’t just that children aren’t learning the way we’d hoped—it’s that we’ve squeezed the joy, relevance, and humanity out of too many classrooms.

Play-based learning—including unstructured recess and playful, inquiry-driven instruction—isn’t a luxury. It’s a powerful, research-backed solution to re-engage learners, support teachers, and improve outcomes. If policymakers are serious about equity and achievement, they must create conditions where play can thrive— not just in pockets of privilege, but across all schools, for all children.

This post launches a mini-series on play and policy. Upcoming entries will explore the harms of high-stakes testing and the true cost of eliminating recess—especially for historically marginalized students.

The Current Policy Problem

Today’s education systems were designed to standardize, not to inspire. High-stakes testing and narrow definitions of success dictate how schools allocate time and resources—often squeezing out movement, creativity, and student voice.

In many classrooms, scripted curricula and limited teacher autonomy make it hard to implement developmentally appropriate, inquiry-driven, or playful instruction. These challenges are especially acute in high-poverty schools, where policy pressure and consequences are steepest.

What Policymakers Can Do

To bring curiosity and joy back into classrooms, we need more than good intentions—we need better policy. Here are five high-impact actions leaders can take:

1. Protect Recess

Daily unstructured play is essential. States like Georgia now mandate daily recess in elementary schools, recognizing its role in learning, regulation, and well-being. Simply legislating protections is not enough—without support and accountability, those policies often fall short in practice.

2. Encourage Classroom Play

Recess isn’t enough. Teachers need support to integrate playful, standards-aligned instruction—through exploration, choice, problem-solving, and hands-on investigation across early childhood and elementary curricula.

3. Fund Professional Development

Mandates don’t build capacity. Groups like the Erikson Institute, Harvard’s Project Zero, and NAEYC offer professional learning models that help teachers embed play into real instructional time.

4. Allow Curriculum and Assessment Flexibility

Educators should be empowered to adapt pacing and assessment. Expanding beyond standardized tests opens doors to project-based learning, portfolios, and authentic demonstration of growth.

5. Incentivize Whole-Child Accountability

We measure what we value. Systems should include metrics like engagement, collaboration, creativity, and well-being—just as North Carolina’s strategic dashboard and Van Leer Foundation's indicators are beginning to do. Public health research supports this broader framing. Evidence shows that when students feel engaged and supported—not just measured—they are more likely to thrive academically and emotionally.

6. Elevate What’s Already Working

We don’t need to guess what’s possible—we can invest in proven models. Programs like Active Playful Learning, Playful Learning Landscapes, and Playworks show how play enhances engagement, behavior, and academic growth. The Trust for Learning supports public schools in developing ideal learning environments, and groups like Project Zero, LEGO Foundation, and Brookings offer blueprints for scaling innovation. The Federation of American Scientists now recommends play as a policy priority.

Why It Matters

Play strengthens executive function, academic learning, creativity, and social-emotional growth. The American Academy of Pediatrics and Harvard’s Usable Knowledge both emphasize that play builds better brains—and better learners.

But when play is squeezed out to make room for test preparation and administration, inequities deepen. These trade-offs disproportionately affect students in under-resourced schools. Globally, countries like Finland, Singapore, South Korea, and Ghana are revising national curricula to prioritize child-led, play-based learning—and the US should follow their lead.

What You Can Do–Today

• Share this post with school boards, state legislators, and education advocates.

• Ask your district to protect recess and support play-based teaching.

• Champion professional development, curriculum flexibility, and whole-child measures.

• Revisit our NAEP post—and stay tuned for future posts in this series.

Policy created this problem. Policy can help solve it. And we all have a part to play.