Playful Classrooms: Lessons from the Fumbini School
This blog post is part of our series sharing learnings from the Kenya Play (KPLay) program in partnership with IREX and generous support from The LEGO Foundation. You can find out more about KPLAY here.
On a warm morning in January, we walked through the outdoor halls of Fumbini School. We were there visiting our colleagues as part of the In the Kenya Play (KPLAY) program funded by The LEGO Foundation. This holistic program aims to introduce playful learning through teacher training, localized Playlabs and community engagement. As it entered its 3rd year, more than 111 schools were participating so far. Having already visited multiple schools in Kilifi and Kwale to meet teachers and CSOs (curriculum support officers), we were warmly greeted by the enthusiastic Play Ambassador - the teacher responsible for implementing KPLAY in the school.
The Play Ambassador led us to the “Playlab,” where a few children were on a recess break, eagerly waiting. In the KPLAY program, a “Playlabs” is a classroom in each school transformed into a physical space for playful learning. This offers an excellent opportunity for teachers to experiment with different teaching methods, such as encouraging student choice, collaboration, and creativity outside the confines of more structured classrooms.
Upon entering the Playlab, we noticed how different it looked from other classes. The colorful chairs and round tables were inviting for children to sit around, and a few large rugs adorned the floor. On the wall, the bright and lively KPLAY logo caught our eye. The room was immaculate, and we wondered how often the children used the space.
The Play Ambassador explained how much the children loved coming to the Playlab, citing how she used it for ICT integration in a religion class, where kids constructed towers with LEGOs. She noted that Grades 4 and 5 used it twice a week. In the space, there was a basket overflowing with locally available and tinkering materials, such as LEDs and batteries. The teacher explained that aside from LEGOs, the children's favorite materials were plasticine, glue guns, and paints.
She then introduced us to two teachers who timidly shared their experiences using the Playlab. They talked about how when they used it, the room was packed with 40-60 children, and classroom management became their biggest hurdle. When asked how they could be supported, they expressed the need for more training sessions and materials. On our way out, next to the KPLAY poster that said “Imagine, Create, Play & Share,” we noticed a handwritten poster that said "no running" and "no talking," a stark contradiction.
What can we learn from this story?
Although having a dedicated physical space for playful learning is proven to provide a powerful enabling environment (increasing motivation, focus, stimulating curiosity, encouraging collaboration…) it remains for now used in a serious and formal manner. We were reminded that the mere existence of these spaces will not necessarily improve outcomes without being integrated into the cultural life of the school, and it would be strategic to focus on thoughtful uptake and appropriation.
Teachers incorporate playful learning materials into their lessons, but it seems that they do so in a way that reinforces rote learning. This presents an interesting opportunity to include more activities during training that allow for the necessary depth to create meaningful learning experiences. It is important to acknowledge that achieving this at scale can be very challenging.
Although LEGO bricks may be an attractive and exciting addition to the classroom, they may not be as sustainable as locally sourced materials. It is known that offering materials that are too appealing or that contrast sharply with the environment can have negative outcomes. For example, we observed that LEGO bricks, even though they are beloved, often stay stored in plastic in the headmaster's office, therefore creating a scarcity effect. It is also possible that the LEGO bricks, despite their small number, overshadow the "old" paint and craft materials that are more sustainable and serve many more students.
These challenges are common when introducing playful learning programs and of course present several opportunities for innovation. The best way to start? listening to teachers, parents and community members.
Stay tuned as we share some toolkits in the next few months for co-designing playful program innovations that have the potential to transform the way we approach teacher empowerment, classroom management, and the design of learning spaces.