‘Play for inclusion in early childhood classrooms: understanding teachers’ perspectives and practices’

Play is recognised as a universal right of all children and as a valuable context for supporting the inclusion of all learners. Early childhood educators play a fundamental role in shaping children’s play experiences and in enacting inclusive practices. However, much uncertainty remains regarding how best to capitalise on the educative and inclusive potential of play in early childhood contexts. This study investigated early childhood teachers’ (N = 344) attitudes and practices regarding play for inclusion within classrooms using a multi-method survey. Teachers widely endorsed the value of play for inclusion and viewed play as an important component of early childhood education. Open-ended responses (n = 262) to teachers’ reported practices regarding play for inclusion were analysed using codebook thematic analysis. Teachers described multiple strategies to support the inclusion of learners with additional needs in play including individualisation of play, peer support and adult guidance. The importance of flexible and child-centred practices was evident, and teachers reported moderate confidence with regards to these practices. Our findings show that early childhood teachers view play as a potentially positive context for inclusion in early childhood education. Further research is needed on the quality of these practices, particularly from the perspective of children in early childhood classrooms.