Play Captains on Play Streets: A Community-University Playful Learning and Teen Leadership Collaboration

Abstract

Playful Learning Landscapes (PLL) merges playful learning pedagogy with community spaces to create playful learning opportunities for children, families, and communities. Prior PLL projects have demonstrated effectiveness in enhancing social interaction between children and caregivers by creating opportunities for social interaction derived from the learning sciences literature. In the present case study, a university-based team of PLL researchers partnered with a local community-based organization (CBO) that provides educational, skill building, and job training opportunities for teens in low-income neighborhoods. PLL provided consultation and training to transform the CBO's Play Captains program into a Playful Learning program where local teenagers led playful learning activities for children on city streets (Play Streets) that were closed to vehicular traffic by Philadelphia's Parks and Rec department. The teen Play Captains also conducted research observations of children on streets and completed surveys that assessed their own personal growth as a result of their experiences as Play Captains. Results suggest considerable social interaction and use of learning language among children on the Play Streets where Play Captains ran playful learning activities and significant increases in Play Captains' self-confidence and understanding the benefits of playful learning. We discuss key lessons learned that can help to inform future university-community playful learning collaborations.

Creating a diverse, inclusive, and equitable learning environment to support children of color’s early introductions to STEM.

“…Researchers worked with a community-based organization to train local teens to organize playtime on the play streets and in local libraries. The program not only provided play opportunities for children, including opportunities for asking questions, creativity, and physical play, but also served as skill building and confidence building for local teens (Schlesinger et al, 2020). While the Playful Learning Landscapes movement has been limited in scope, it provides a framework for how community-based opportunities can be implemented, offering access for children who might not otherwise interact with formal learning spaces.…”

“…Before the transformation, families spent little time at the bus stop and had few conversations; however, after the transformation, families spent as much time at the new bus stop as a nearby playground and used more language, especially language related to learning concepts like numbers, letters, and spatial language (e.g., words describing shapes or sizes). Another effort took advantage of “play streets,” an effort by the city of Philadelphia to close certain neighborhood streets to vehicular traffic during summer to provide a safe place for play (Schlesinger et al, 2020). Researchers worked with a community-based organization to train local teens to organize playtime on the play streets and in local libraries.…”