The Importance of Play: Why Childhood is the Best Classroom

"Will you play with me?" "Look at what I built!" "Let’s pretend we’re explorers!"

If you spend time with little ones, you know that play is at the heart of their world. It’s how they make sense of life, how they experiment with ideas, and how they learn—long before they ever pick up a pencil.

Yet, in today’s fast-paced, academic-driven culture, play is often seen as something "extra"—a break from learning rather than the learning itself. But Charlotte Mason reminds us otherwise:

"A child’s business is to grow and to lay up store of knowledge, of skill, of aptitudes, from everything he sees and hears and does."
(Home Education, Vol. 1)

Play is not wasted time. Play is learning. And in these early years, it’s the very best kind.

Play is the Work of Childhood

Children don’t need flashcards or early worksheets to develop their minds. What they need is room to play, time to explore, and a rich environment full of living ideas.

Through play, children naturally:

• Develop language and communication skills
• Learn problem-solving and critical thinking
• Strengthen fine and gross motor skills
• Build confidence, independence, and resilience
• Deepen their imagination and creativity
• Cultivate curiosity and a love for learning

Play is a child-led feast of discovery—and the best part? It doesn’t require formal lessons. Just space, time, and a sense of wonder.

Types of Play & Some Things They Teach

Outdoor Play

Running barefoot in the grass, climbing trees, splashing in puddles—these moments are more than just fun. They’re building strong bodies, sharp minds, and brave spirits.

• Climbing builds coordination, risk assessment, and perseverance.

• Collecting leaves, rocks, or insects fosters observation skills and curiosity about the natural world.

• Jumping, running, and balancing develop strength, agility, and confidence.

Charlotte Mason encouraged daily time outdoors as the foundation of early childhood education. Nature itself is a living lesson—no workbook required.

Imaginative Play

Give a child a stick, and suddenly, it’s a sword, a fishing pole, or a magic wand. Give them a cardboard box, and it becomes a rocket, a boat, or a cozy bear den.

Pretend play is powerful. It teaches:

• Social and emotional intelligence (navigating friendships, working through fears).

• Language development (expanding vocabulary, forming complex sentences).

• Creative problem-solving ("What if the floor is lava? How do we get across?").

Imagination fuels learning—and learning rooted in joy and curiosity lasts a lifetime.

Handicrafts & Meaningful Work

Charlotte Mason encouraged handicrafts—real, useful skills that give children a sense of purpose. Unlike busywork crafts, these activities teach patience, coordination, and creativity.

Great early childhood handicrafts include:

• Simple sewing or lacing cards

• Kneading bread or shaping dough

• Weaving with yarn or natural materials

• Whittling (for older preschoolers with supervision)

• Gardening—digging, planting, watering, and watching things grow

• Sculpting with clay

Handicrafts give children a sense of accomplishment—they’re making something real, something beautiful, something meaningful.

Learning Letters, Reading, and Math Through Play

Even the earliest academic skills—like reading and math—are best introduced through gentle, playful experiences, not forced lessons. Here’s how play nurtures these foundational skills:

Learning Letters & Early Reading

Charlotte Mason believed in delaying formal reading instruction until a child was developmentally ready, but that doesn’t mean literacy isn’t happening!

Playful ways to build early literacy:

• Oral storytelling & nursery rhymes—rich language exposure develops a love for words.

• Letter treasure hunts—find letters in nature (sticks shaped like letters, writing in sand).

• Tracing in sensory materials—use salt trays, sand, or finger paints to form letters.

• Playing with word sounds—rhyming games, silly alliterations, and sound-matching.

• Acting out favorite books—dramatic play builds comprehension and vocabulary. This is the earliest form of narrations. 

If you'd like more ideas and resources to teach letters and early-reading, check out my Letters to Reading Play Guide.

Reading is a natural progression that flows from a language-rich home where books are loved, words are savored, and stories are shared.

Early Math Through Play

Children learn best through hands-on, real-world math experiences:

• Counting while playing ("Let’s gather 10 pinecones!")

• Measuring ingredients in the kitchen (baking is math in action!)

• Sorting and grouping objects (buttons, acorns, shells—anything works!)

• Pattern play with beads, blocks, or nature treasures

• Board games & card games that reinforce number sense

• Building with blocks (shapes, spatial awareness, balance)

Math is everywhere—it easily integrates into daily life.

 

How to Encourage Play in a Charlotte Mason Home

• Prioritize open-ended toys—wooden blocks, dolls, play silks, and natural materials spark creativity.
• Allow for unstructured time—resist the urge to "fill the day" with planned activities. Play flourishes in white space.
• Get outside daily—even if it’s just in the backyard or a short walk.
• Model curiosity—when we wonder out loud ("Why do you think birds sing?"), we invite children into discovery.
• Limit screens—real-world exploration is far richer than digital entertainment.

Play isn’t something to squeeze into the day—it is the day’s most important work.

Play is Learning, and Learning is Play

Charlotte Mason’s philosophy reminds us that childhood isn’t a race. There’s no rush to master letters, sit still for long lessons, or "get ahead." The most valuable education in the early years isn’t found in worksheets—it’s found in muddy hands, curious minds, and hearts full of wonder.

“There is a danger in these days of much educational effort that children’s play should be crowded out [or what is the same thing] should be prescribed for and arranged until there is no more freedom of choice about play than about work. We do not say a word against the educational value of games (such as football, basketball, etc.) … but organized games are not play in the sense we have in view. Boys and girls must have time to invent episodes, carry on adventures, live heroic lives, lay sieges and carry forts, even if the fortress be an old armchair; and in these affairs the elders must neither meddle nor make.” -Charlotte Mason

So, the next time your little one is knee-deep in a world of make-believe, resist the urge to hurry them along. Give them time. Let them explore. Let them play. Because in those simple, joy-filled moments, they’re learning.