Recently, I had the privilege to conduct a follow up professional development session with an elementary school staff after I introduced a series of quick builds in a PD that they could use in their classroom. Anytime you are asked back for more PD especially when it is something you are passionate about it is a great feeling. This time I wanted to try something new by weaving in a new design idea I developed and introduced them to a unique learning activity called “Culinary Clash” that I shared in a previous post. This 45-minute lesson, grounded in play and creativity, is not just a teaching strategy; it is a bridge connecting educational content with the innate curiosity and joy found in play.
The significance of integrating play into educational settings cannot be understated. Especially when chronic absenteeism, disengaged students, disengaged educators, and more variables are felt everywhere in the education system. We have lost the joy of learning to some degree with all the pressures on the plates of school to crunch out data and “catch up”. Research consistently highlights the multifaceted benefits of play for cognitive, social, and emotional development. For instance, Rieber (1996) emphasized that play is a powerful mediator for learning throughout a person’s life, advocating for the design of interactive learning environments that blend microworlds, simulations, and games. Similarly, Yogman et al. (2018) documented that developmentally appropriate play with parents and peers is crucial for promoting the social-emotional, cognitive, language, and self-regulation skills that underpin executive function and a prosocial brain.
In the “Culinary Clash” activity, I employed some principles of edutainment, where learning through playing—referred to as “edutainment”—proves to be an effective educational approach. Moustafa (2020) supports this by illustrating the importance of “edutainment” in museums, highlighting its effectiveness in engaging learners through various activities. I wanted an element of fun, for the professionals to tap into their inner child, and have some fun when PD can sometimes not be that. If I could establish that feeling, then I believe we can be more engaged to try new approaches and techniques in our classrooms because I don’t know too many educators who don’t want their students to not feel the joy of learning.
I won’t lie this can be tough for some. Some don’t believe they are creative. Some have hard times believing in themselves to build, but when done right they all rise to the occasion as they did in this session and designed some INCREDIBLE builds.
Moreover, play’s role extends beyond just a child’s early years. It is a continuous driver of development and learning. Cohen (2018) explores how through play, individuals learn to move, think, speak, and imagine, providing a foundation for coping with real-world scenarios and interactions. I think that even with less play happening at the younger ages while also noting that for far too long it has not been in conversation for older kids and grades which is unfortunate. And I know that doing this work it takes lots of practice to help adults and older students to get back to the joys of play as we simply have stopped doing this as a society. It is a lost art to get in the zone of play.
Incorporating these principles, “Culinary Clash” is more than just a game or feel-good PD; it’s an educational method that leverages the intrinsic motivation and engagement found in play to enhance learning. By adjusting the prompts to match content standards and learning targets, we enable educators to tailor the experience to their unique classroom needs, demonstrating the versatility and impact of play-based learning. As part of the PD, I created this guide to help educators reflect on the experience to begin to consider how to apply to their content they are required to teach to see connections back to the realities of the classroom.
As we reflect on the success of this professional development session, it’s clear that purposeful play like “Culinary Clash” is not just beneficial but essential for bringing back to the conversation around learning and the goals we have in schools that a holistic and engaging learning environment is vital. The space, the culture, and the vibe of the learning environment is often overlooked to concrete strategies, but we must start there for the vulnerability of creating and sharing ideas to happen. The evidence supports that when play is effectively integrated into education, it not only enriches the learning experience but also cultivates a deeper, more meaningful understanding of the content.
The journey through “Culinary Clash” has reaffirmed the critical role of play in education. By embracing the joy, creativity, and exploration that play brings, we unlock a world of possibilities for both educators and students alike.
Check out all the incredible builds of the staff
This slidedeck has images, their descriptions and names of characters
Resources:
The original Culinary Clash idea blog post
Educator guide to apply experience to classroom content
A previous LEGO build school experience that provoked me to create another idea…..Culinary Clash
PD series in case you want to see what I presented in the first session
References:
Below are some of research references mentioned above. I would also encourage folks to read these papers as well in case we need more research to believe in the power of play.
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