This Act permits early childhood educators in the public schools to use and encourage play-based learning in preschool, kindergarten, and grades 1 through 3 in their classrooms and in their curriculum. Play-based learning is defined as any learning activity that is performed by a child for self-amusement that has behavioral, social, and psychomotor rewards. Play-based learning also means activities that are child-directed, joyful, and spontaneous whereby the rewards come from the individual child.
This Act permits local education agencies to provide early childhood professional development in play-based learning, which may include professional development programs developed by the Department of Education.
This Act also permits the Department to promulgate regulations for purposes of implementing this Act.