Play is a vital component of childhood education, facilitating the development of cognitive, social, and emotional skills. Free play, especially with Six Bricks, is also a way of boosting physical skills as well as literacy skills.
It comes in many forms. Mainly, structured and free play are two foundational categories that shape how children engage with their environment.
Play in all its formats used all the way through school from early childhood education through Primary School and beyond.
Understanding the difference between these types of play can help educators create well-rounded learning experiences.
Structured Play: Setting Goals and Enhancing Problem-Solving
Structured play, often guided by adults and educators, follows specific rules or goals.
It aims to teach children essential skills, such as motor skills, memory retention and mathematical skills, in a controlled environment. Structured play also helps with cognitive development and social interaction.
Examples of structured play include board games, building activities with instructions, or sports that require strategic thinking.
By engaging in structured play, children learn to set objectives, solve problems, and work cooperatively. Through the use of playful learning tools, they build a foundation for future academic success.
Theory Behind Structured Play
The theory supporting structured play emphasises its role in developing critical thinking, spatial reasoning, and social skills.
Lev Vygotsky, a renowned developmental psychologist, believed that children learn best through guided activities within their “zone of proximal development,” where they need some level of support from adults or peers to succeed.
In structured play, educators can scaffold experiences, providing hints and encouragement to help children navigate challenges. This method enriches their understanding, facilitating growth in cognitive and social capabilities.
Additionally, educational theorists like Piaget highlight how children construct knowledge through experiences.
In structured play settings, the combination of direct instruction and hands-on activity allows children to assimilate concepts effectively, transforming abstract ideas into concrete understanding.
Beyond cognitive development, structured play nurtures self-regulation and discipline. As children engage in activities with rules, they must learn to manage their impulses and follow guidelines.
This process reinforces the importance of patience, cooperation, and respect for others, laying a foundation for lifelong interpersonal skills.
Free Play: Unleashing Creativity and Independence
By contrast, free play is characterised by the absence of specific goals or adult intervention. In this setting, children guide their own explorations, choosing how and what to play.
Free play is self-directed and unstructured.
Free play fosters creativity, imagination, and critical thinking by allowing children to experiment freely. Without boundaries, they engage in uninhibited exploration, discovering new interests and pushing the limits of their capabilities.
Activities like role-playing, imaginative games, and open-ended play with toys, such as dolls or blocks, fall into this category.
All these forms of activities are part of holistic development.
It is an approach to teaching that takes its place as part of classroom practice in terms of building independent thinkers.
Theory Behind Free Play
The theory of free play stems from Jean Piaget’s idea that children are “little scientists” who learn about the world by experimenting and discovering on their own.
This type of play allows for the natural development of problem-solving skills and cognitive abilities without external constraints.
It is part of active learning with the learner and their needs as being central.
What Is the Difference Between Structured Play and Free Play Using Six Bricks?
Both forms of play offer exciting opportunities for educators. They can both take their place within the daily routine of a school.
They both offer meaningful, screen-free activities that are the basis of hands-on, imaginative play.
Here’s a comparison table:
| Aspect | Structured Play | Free Play |
| Guidance | Adult-guided or goal-oriented | Child-led and spontaneous |
| Rules | Set rules and specific objectives | Flexible and open-ended |
| Skill Development | Focuses on targeted skill enhancement such as maths concepts | Promotes creativity and social skills |
| Examples | Building a LEGO set with instructions | Free-building with LEGO bricks |
| Benefits | Teaches problem-solving and discipline | Enhances imagination and autonomy |
The Importance of Variety in Learning Materials
Children benefit from a mix of structured and free play resources. While structured activities guide learning, free play ignites curiosity and self-expression.
They key is to avoid excessive screen time and rather take the powerful approach of learning through play.
The ultimate goal is the development of perceptual skills, language skills and physical development.
This is where Six Bricks steps into the picture as providing short structured activities of maximum 10-15 minutes that have an element of free play.
What is Six Bricks?
Six Bricks is an educational tool developed by Care for Education in South Africa and the LEGO Foundation, consisting of six brightly coloured DUPLO-type bricks used to create fun and impactful learning activities.
The method encourages hands-on, multisensory experiences to develop key skills in young learners, such as motor coordination, cognitive flexibility, and social-emotional skills.
There are hundreds of skill building activities to boost core skills, comprehension skills as well as visual-memory skills. In fact, there are few aspects of child development that are not covered!
Overview of Six Bricks as a Learning Tool
Six Bricks activities are quick and engaging, often lasting only a few minutes but packed with developmental benefits.
They are designed to be simple yet effective, requiring minimal resources but delivering maximum impact. This method is used worldwide, from South Africa to Australia, in early learning centres and educational settings.
The method provides active learning opportunities that form part of the achievement of curriculum learning outcomes in a fun environment.
They are mainly structured learning activities with some elements of free play in them.
Benefits of Using Six Bricks in Education
Six Bricks provides some of the biggest learning gains in these areas:
- Motor Skills Development: Handling and manipulating the bricks strengthens fine motor skills, aiding in tasks like writing and self-care.
- Cognitive Skills: Memory games and sequencing activities enhance children’s cognitive flexibility and focus.
- Social and Emotional Growth: Working together with peers fosters teamwork, empathy, and communication.
Connection Between Six Bricks and STEM Education
The Six Bricks method also aligns with STEM education principles. It introduces children to early concepts of mathematics, engineering, and spatial awareness through playful experimentation.
This connection reinforces STEM learning by making abstract concepts tangible. The activities also help with spatial thinking as children manipulate the bricks to form complex structures.
Playing with Six Bricks involves stacking, sorting, and arranging the bricks in various patterns.
These activities help children understand shapes, symmetry, and spatial relationships. These construction activities lay a foundation for more complex mathematical reasoning and developing spatial ability.
Educators can use Six Bricks for arithmetic exercises, such as counting, comparing quantities, or creating simple addition problems.
By making numbers concrete, children develop a deeper understanding of mathematical concepts.
Integrating Six Bricks into Learning Environments
Practical Tips for Educators
- Incorporate Daily: Use the Six Bricks approach in morning routines to energise children and prepare them for the day.
- Vary Activities: Introduce different activities regularly to keep children engaged and address various developmental needs. This is all part of brain development.
- Observe and Reflect: Watch how children interact with the coloured bricks to tailor future activities to their strengths and areas for growth.
Using a variety of learning materials, like Six Bricks, ensures that children remain engaged and curious. A rich environment based on playful learning in all formats fosters the development of well-rounded skills.
Measuring Success in Play-Based Learning
Assess children’s progress by noting improvements in skills like hand-eye coordination, memory, or problem-solving. Determine if their arithmetic skills or categorisation skills have improved.
These observations help educators plan future activities effectively.
Ask children what they enjoy about Six Bricks activities. Their input can provide valuable insights and improve the play-based learning experience.
Conclusion: Unlocking Creative Potential with Six Bricks
Six Bricks represents a unique blend of structured and free play.
While many activities are goal-oriented, the flexibility of the tool allows children to explore and create freely.
By integrating Six Bricks into play-based learning, educators can unlock the full creative and developmental potential of young learners, setting the stage for lifelong learning and growth.