Does your nursery child spend more time playing with blocks than practising letters? Research published in Frontiers in Education suggests you can stop worrying. Scientists examining how children evolved, how Indigenous cultures teach, and the Montessori method all reach the same conclusion: play is how young children's brains are designed to learn.
The study reviewed three major perspectives on early childhood learning to understand why play matters so much for nursery-aged children (typically ages 3–5).
Your child's brain evolved for play, not worksheets
Humans have developed over millions of years to learn through self-directed play, hands-on exploration, and playing with other children—not through instruction or worksheets. Your nursery child's brain is literally wired this way. When children choose their own activities and actively discover how things work, their brains engage in the kind of learning that sticks.
Indigenous cultures don't separate play from real learning
Across Indigenous communities worldwide, there's no divide between "playtime" and "learning time." Children learn by genuinely participating in daily life—cooking, building, caring for animals, helping family members. Everything blends together naturally. The Montessori approach mirrors this by letting children choose activities, work with real materials, and stay physically engaged, all backed by modern science.
Play now means stronger learners later
In Singapore's competitive education landscape, many parents worry that play-based learning will leave their child behind academically. But the research shows the opposite: children who have rich play experiences in their early years develop better problem-solving skills, creativity, and resilience. When they eventually learn reading and maths, they pick these up more easily because their brains are stronger and more flexible. For a 3- to 5-year-old, play is the academic work—building blocks, water play, pretend cooking, climbing, and running aren't time-fillers; they're building the foundation for future learning.
How to support play-based learning at home
- Provide open-ended materials (blocks, water, sand, craft items) and let your child lead what they build or create.
- Limit structured worksheets and flashcards; instead, involve your child in real daily activities like cooking or sorting laundry.
- Ensure plenty of time for unstructured physical play—climbing, running, and moving freely strengthen both brain and body.