A Practical Guide to Play in Education encourages teachers to reflect on their practice and consider how a play-based approach may enhance their teaching. It provides realistic, accessible ideas and resources to incorporate into practice while giving evidence to back up this approach.

Michelle Simpson has worked with children for almost 30 years, with over half of that time as a teacher specialising in supporting learners and inclusion. Still in the classroom, she enjoys developing new pedagogical approaches which enhance inclusion, engagement, and overall enjoyment of learning and teaching.

Introduction; Section 1 - A Play-Based Pedagogy; Chapter 1 - What is Play?; Chapter 2 - Benefits of a Play-Based Approach; Chapter 3 - Play in the Early Years and Beyond; Chapter 4 - Putting the Principles in Action; Chapter 5 - Barriers and Solutions; Chapter 6 - Record Keeping; Section 2 - Putting it into Practice; Chapter 7 - Setting the Scene; Chapter 8 - Resources; Chapter 9 - Creating a Playful Ethos; Section 3 - Practical Lesson Ideas; Chapter 10 - Numeracy and Mathematics; Chapter 11 - Literacy; Chapter 12 - STEAM; Chapter 13 - Health and Wellbeing; Chapter 14 - Other Subject Areas; Chapter 15 - Project-Based Learning; Chapter 16 - Continuous Provision; Chapter 17 - Concluding Thoughts