Teachers’ Practices of Play-Based Learning and Learners’ Early Childhood Development

Play-based learning has become an important pedagogical approach for promoting learners’ engagement, inclusion, and holistic development during the early childhood year. The study examined the extent of teachers’ practices of play-based learning and learners’ early childhood development in select districts of Balingasag, Division of Misamis Oriental, during School Year 2024-2025. Specifically, the study aimed to find out the extent of teachers’ practices of play-based learning, examine the learners’ level of early childhood development, determine the significant relationship between the teachers’ practices of play-based learning and the learners’ early childhood development, and test the significant difference in the teachers’ practices of play-based learning when grouped according to their profile. The study involved 150 Kindergarten teachers selected using the universal sampling technique. The study employed a descriptive-correlational research design and used a researcher-made questionnaire to gather data. The study utilized descriptive and inferential statistics to analyze the data. The findings revealed that most respondents have highly practiced structured play while their learners are highly advanced in physical domain. Overall, the data showed no significant relationship across variables. However, there was no significant difference in the teachers’ practices of play-based learning when grouped according to their profile. In conclusion, the play-based learning serves as a critical pedagogical approach for fostering holistic child development. It is recommended that teachers’ support may optimize play-based learning practices, with set of rules to follow for future research in early childhood education.