At Meadowlark Schools, we believe that play is not just something children do for fun—it's how they learn, grow, and make sense of their world. Our play-based preschool program, coming to the Morada neighborhood of Stockton in August 2025, offers children ages 2-6 a thoughtfully designed educational experience where meaningful play serves as the primary vehicle for learning and development.

Discover the Power of Play-Based Learning near Morada

Unlike traditional academic preschools where children spend much of their day in teacher-directed activities, our approach honors children's natural learning processes through purposeful play experiences in rich, engaging environments. This research-backed approach not only builds essential academic foundations but also develops crucial life skills like creativity, critical thinking, problem-solving, and social-emotional regulation.

The Science Behind Play-Based Learning

Research consistently shows that play-based approaches provide stronger developmental outcomes than academic-focused early education. According to studies from the American Academy of Pediatrics, play is essential for developing social-emotional, cognitive, language, and self-regulation skills that are crucial for school and life success (American Academy of Pediatrics, 2023).

Young children learn most effectively through:

• Active engagement with their environment
• Meaningful social interaction
• Intrinsic motivation
• Joy and pleasure in discovery
• Making their own connections and meaning

Our play-based methodology is designed to harness these natural learning mechanisms, creating experiences that align with how children's brains actually develop and learn.

How Play-Based Learning Works at Meadowlark

Our play-based approach doesn't mean unstructured free play all day. Rather, we create thoughtfully prepared environments and experiences that invite specific types of exploration and learning, while our skilled teachers observe, extend, and deepen children's play through intentional interactions.

Child-Led, Teacher-Supported

At Meadowlark Schools, you'll observe:

• Children making choices about their activities, following their natural curiosity and interests
• Teachers observing carefully to understand children's thinking and development
• Thoughtful questioning that extends thinking without taking over the play
• Introduction of new materials and ideas that build on children's current interests
• Documentation of learning through photos, notes, and children's work
• Reflection opportunities where children share their discoveries and thinking

This balance of freedom and guidance creates the optimal conditions for deep learning to occur. As one educational researcher noted, "Children at play are not playing about; their games are their most serious-minded activity" (Montessori, 1949).

Play-Based Doesn't Mean Academic-Free

A common misconception is that play-based programs don't prepare children academically. In reality, our play-based approach builds stronger academic foundations than traditional academic instruction for young children.

Here's how academic content is naturally integrated into our play-based curriculum:

• Literacy emerges through story dictation, dramatic play with environmental print, message writing, storytelling, and a print-rich environment.
• Mathematics develops through block building, pattern work, counting authentic collections, measuring for real purposes, and problem-solving with materials.
• Science concepts form through direct observation, experimentation with natural materials, cause-and-effect explorations, and investigations driven by children's questions.
• Social studies understanding grows through community role play, conflict resolution, diverse cultural explorations, and connection to place.

Research from Harvard University's Center on the Developing Child confirms that these contextualized, meaningful learning experiences create stronger neural pathways than isolated academic skill practice (Center on the Developing Child, 2024).

Our Classroom Environment Design

The physical environment plays a crucial role in our play-based approach. Our Morada location will feature thoughtfully designed indoor and outdoor spaces that invite exploration, creativity, and deep engagement.

Indoor Learning Areas

Our classroom spaces are arranged into distinct learning areas, each designed to support different types of play and learning:

Building & Construction Area

• Blocks of various types and sizes
• Natural materials for building
• Loose parts for creative construction
• Tools for measuring and design
• Documentation space for architectural drawings

This area builds spatial awareness, mathematical thinking, physics understanding, collaboration skills, and problem-solving.

Dramatic Play Area

• Home living spaces with real materials
• Flexible props that transform with children's interests
• Authentic tools from diverse cultures
• Open-ended materials for creating scenarios
• Writing materials for environmental print

Here, children develop narrative skills, social negotiation, emotional understanding, cultural awareness, and language.

Art Lessons

• Quality art materials accessible to children
• Natural and recycled materials for creative expression
• Tools for different artistic techniques
• Display spaces for works in progress
• Examples of diverse artistic styles

The art studio fosters creativity, fine motor development, symbolic thinking, aesthetic appreciation, and self-expression.

Literacy Nest

• Diverse, quality children's literature
• Comfortable seating for reading
• Writing materials and message centers
• Puppets and props for story reenactment

This area builds love of reading, phonological awareness, print concepts, vocabulary, and narrative understanding.

Integrated Throughout Our Classrooms 

• Materials for scientific inquiry
• Tools for observation and documentation
• Natural collections for sorting and classifying
• Documentation of ongoing investigations
• Reference materials for deeper exploration

Here, children develop scientific thinking, observation skills, questioning, hypothesis testing, and analytical thinking.

Sensory Exploration Station

• Materials with varied sensory properties
• Tools for manipulation and investigation
• Natural elements that change over time
• Documentation of sensory discoveries
• Calming elements for sensory regulation

This area supports sensory processing, scientific vocabulary, physical properties understanding, emotional regulation, and fine motor skills.

Natural Materials Emphasis

Throughout our environments, we emphasize natural materials over plastic, following research showing that natural objects provide richer sensory input, greater creative possibility, and stronger connection to the natural world. You'll find:

• Wooden toys and furniture
• Stone, shell, and plant materials
• Clay, beeswax, and natural textiles
• Authentic tools rather than plastic replicas
• Elements brought in from nature walks and explorations

These materials engage the senses more deeply and create aesthetic environments that respect children's capabilities and intelligence.

Outdoor Classroom

Our location near Morada will feature an extensive outdoor classroom designed as a rich learning environment, not merely a recess space. Elements include:

• Natural playscapes with logs, boulders, hills, and pathways
• Garden spaces for growing food and flowers
• Water features for exploration and experimentation
• Loose parts areas for creative construction
• Quiet spaces for reflection and observation
• Active spaces for large motor development
• Shaded gathering areas for group experiences

Children move fluidly between indoor and outdoor spaces throughout the day, with equal emphasis placed on learning in both environments.

Developmental Outcomes of Play-Based Learning

Our play-based approach is designed to support whole-child development across all domains. Here's what research shows about the developmental outcomes of quality play-based programs:

Cognitive Development

• Stronger executive function skills (attention, self-regulation, working memory)
• Better problem-solving abilities and critical thinking
• More sophisticated symbolic thinking
• Greater creativity and divergent thinking
• Deeper conceptual understanding vs. rote knowledge

Social-Emotional Development

• Better emotional regulation and impulse control
• Stronger friendship skills and empathy
• More developed conflict resolution abilities
• Greater resilience and adaptability
• Positive attitudes toward learning and school

Physical Development

• Advanced fine motor control and coordination
• Strong gross motor development through active play
• Better body awareness and spatial understanding
• Healthy attitudes toward physical activity
• Integration of physical and cognitive development

Language and Communication

• Richer vocabulary and complex language structures
• Better narrative abilities and storytelling
• More sophisticated conversation skills
• Stronger early literacy foundations
• Better communication across diverse situations

A longitudinal study from the HighScope Perry Preschool Project demonstrated that children from play-based programs showed better academic performance, higher graduation rates, higher earnings, and lower incarceration rates than peers from academic-focused programs, with benefits extending well into adulthood.

The Teacher's Role in Play-Based Education

In our Morada program, teachers are not simply supervisors or instructors—they are skilled facilitators of learning through play. Our educators:

Observe and Document

• Watch carefully to understand each child's thinking
• Document learning through photos, notes, and recordings
• Use observations to plan next steps and environments

Scaffold and Extend

• Ask open-ended questions that deepen thinking
• Add materials that extend current explorations
• Connect play experiences to broader concepts
• Recognize teachable moments within play

Model and Participate

• Join in play as co-explorers without dominating
• Model curiosity, problem-solving, and wonder
• Demonstrate respectful interaction and communication
• Show authentic interest in children's discoveries

Prepare and Provide

• Create environments that invite specific types of play
• Offer materials that respond to current interests
• Ensure accessibility for diverse learning styles
• Adapt spaces based on ongoing observation

All Meadowlark teachers hold degrees in early childhood education or related fields and receive ongoing professional development in play-based methodology, observation techniques, and emergent curriculum planning.

Family Partnership in Play-Based Learning

Families are essential partners in our play-based program. We support this partnership through:

Regular Documentation Sharing

• Weekly documentation panels showing learning in progress
• Individual portfolios of each child's journey
• Digital documentation shared through our secure app
• Learning stories that make play-based learning visible

Family Participation Opportunities

• Open invitations to join classroom experiences
• Family project contributions from home
• Community events and celebrations
• Parent education workshops on play-based learning

Two-Way Communication

• Regular family conferences to share observations
• Daily connection at drop-off and pickup
• Open-door policy for questions and discussion
• Responsive communication through preferred channels

We recognize that the play-based approach may be different from some families' educational experiences, and we're committed to helping you understand and support your child's learning journey.

Frequently Asked Questions About Play-Based Learning

Will my child be prepared for kindergarten?

Absolutely. Research consistently shows that children from play-based programs demonstrate stronger kindergarten readiness than peers from academic-focused preschools. Rather than narrowly focusing on letter and number recognition, our program builds the foundational skills that predict long-term academic success:

• Strong executive function (shown to be the strongest predictor of school success)
• Problem-solving abilities and critical thinking
• Social-emotional regulation and friendship skills
• Intrinsic motivation and love of learning
• Communication and language skills

A study in the American Educational Research Journal found that children from play-based programs showed stronger academic performance through elementary school compared to peers from academic-focused preschools (American Educational Research Journal, 2023).

How do you handle children with different learning styles and abilities?

Play-based learning is inherently inclusive and adaptable to diverse learning styles. Children can engage with the same materials and experiences in different ways based on their developmental levels, interests, and learning preferences. Our teachers are trained to:

• Observe each child's unique approach to learning
• Provide multiple entry points to the same concept
• Offer differentiated support based on individual needs
• Collaborate with families and specialists for children with specific learning needs
• Create environments that accommodate sensory differences

This individualized approach ensures that all children can succeed regardless of their learning style or developmental path.

How do you manage behavior in a play-based program?

Rather than using external reward systems or punishments, we focus on helping children develop internal regulation and social problem-solving skills. This approach includes:

• Creating environments that support positive behavior
• Teaching emotional vocabulary and regulation strategies
• Facilitating conflict resolution between children
• Using natural and logical consequences when needed
• Building strong, trusting relationships with each child
• Collaborating with families on consistent approaches

Research shows that this approach leads to stronger self-regulation and social skills compared to behavior management systems based on rewards and punishments.

How do you assess children's progress without traditional testing?

Our assessment approach is observation-based and focuses on the whole child. We document learning through:

• Detailed anecdotal records of significant moments
• Work samples collected over time to show growth
• Photos and videos of children engaged in learning
• Child-led documentation of their own discoveries
• Developmental checklists based on established milestones

This authentic assessment provides a much richer picture of each child's development than standardized assessments and directly informs our teaching practices.

Join Our Morada Meadowlark Community

We invite Morada families to join our growing community of play-centered learners. To learn more about our unique approach to early childhood education, please:

• Join our interest list for the Stockton campus
• Attend an upcoming information session (schedule available on our website)
• Follow our social media channels for updates on construction and enrollment

For more information about our farm-to-school vision or to understand more about our nature-based approach, please explore our website or contact us with any questions.