{"product_id":"more-than-just-play-the-power-of-purposeful-play","title":"More Than “Just Play”: The Power of Purposeful Play","description":"\u003ch1\u003ePurposeful Play: Where Play Meets Powerful Learning\u003c\/h1\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWhat does purposeful play actually look like in an elementary classroom—and how does it fit alongside high-quality instruction?\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eResearch from NAEYC, the American Academy of Pediatrics, and the growing field of playful learning reminds us that play isn’t simply a break from learning. When intentionally designed, play can be part of high-quality instruction, supporting language, problem-solving, creativity, collaboration, self-regulation, executive functioning, and academic learning.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAnd it’s not about choosing play OR explicit instruction. It’s about finding the right balance.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn this interactive session, we’ll explore the research behind purposeful and guided play and identify the elements that make play meaningful: clear learning intentions, thoughtfully designed environments, student agency, teacher facilitation, and opportunities to explore and apply learning.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eParticipants will examine practical ways to connect play to literacy, math, science, communication, and problem-solving while protecting the curiosity, choice, and creativity that make play powerful. Together, we’ll look at real classroom examples and design or adapt a purposeful play experience you can use with students.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eCome ready to play, explore, create, and rethink what high-quality instruction can look like!\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eESSDACK Member Price - $100\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eNon-Member Price - $200\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eCollege credit is available: \u003c\/strong\u003eOptional .5 graduate-level college credit available from MidAmerica Nazarene University ($45 per half credit).\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"ESSDACK Marketplace","offers":[{"title":"January 27, 2027","offer_id":49152500465886,"sku":"EVENT-2246","price":200.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0409\/6763\/5094\/files\/ShopifyTemplates_81.jpg?v=1791217981","url":"https:\/\/market.essdack.org\/products\/more-than-just-play-the-power-of-purposeful-play","provider":"ESSDACK Marketplace","version":"1.0","type":"link"}