The Playful Learning Curriculum for Five-Year-Olds: A Randomized Controlled Trial

• In Event: Play in Early Childhood Education

Abstract

A well-defined yet playful curriculum is crucial for 21st-century teaching in Early Childhood Education and Care (ECEC). We examined the effects of the Playful Learning Curriculum on children’s (N = 1313, ages 4-6) school readiness in 96 Norwegian ECECs that were randomly assigned to a one-year intervention (eight hours curriculum per week) or control group (business as usual). School readiness outcomes included measures of early mathematics, language, and working memory. The intervention had a significant effect on children’s mathematics (Ani Banani Math Test: d =.079, p =.03 and Preschool Early Numeracy Screener: d =.104, p =.01). No effects were found for vocabulary (Norwegian Vocabulary Test: d = -.01, p = .65) or working memory (Digit Span: d =.07, p =.13).

Authors

• Ingunn Størksen, University of Stavanger

• Dieuwer Ten Braak, University of Stavanger

• Ragnhild Lenes, Universitetet I Stavanger