Skene, K., O’Farrelly, C. M., Byrne, E. M., Kirby, N., Stevens, E. C., & Ramchandani, P. G. (2022). Can guidance during play enhance children’s learning and development in educational contexts? A systematic review and meta-analysis. Child Development, 93, 1162–1180. https://doi.org/10.1111/cdev.13730
The research paper Can Guidance During Play Enhance Children’s Learning and Development in Educational Contexts? presents a systematic review and meta-analysis examining the effectiveness of guided play compared to direct instruction and free play. By analyzing 39 studies conducted between 1977 and 2020, the paper explores how different forms of guidance impact children’s learning outcomes, particularly in areas such as early math skills, shape knowledge, spatial vocabulary, and cognitive flexibility. The study highlights the unique benefits of guided play, which balances child-led exploration with structured adult support, fostering both engagement and deeper learning. Findings suggest that play-based learning with intentional guidance can enhance academic and socioemotional development more effectively than traditional direct instruction alone.
Reflection Question
For FASD Instructional Coaches: How can elements of guided play be integrated into FASD-informed instructional strategies to better support students with cognitive and executive functioning challenges in the classroom?