Reviewed by Robby Anggriawan Illinois State University
Play has long been recognized as central to children’s growth, yet schools often struggle to embrace it fully. In A Pedagogy of Play: Supporting Playful Learning in Classrooms and Schools, Mardell and colleagues argue that play is not an extra activity but a guiding principle for how schools can cultivate curiosity, joy, and meaningful learning.
Rather than treating play as separate from academics, the authors show how it can shape classroom culture, teaching practices, and even assessment. Drawing on case studies from around the world, they highlight both the opportunities and challenges of bringing playful learning into traditional systems still shaped by accountability and testing.
Echoing Dewey’s constructivist vision, this book positions play as essential to co-constructing knowledge, standing in contrast to rigid, instructionist models. It is not presented as a quick fix but as a cultural shift toward valuing imagination and exploration in education. For educators and policymakers alike, A Pedagogy of Play offers both a framework and an invitation to rethink what counts as learning.