Play in teaching to boost wellbeing, learning and motivation: The What, Why and How of play in teaching

When you think about play, what comes to mind? Probably memories of fun, activity and good company. When you think about play in school, you probably think about recess time. Most likely both memories hold a sense of feeling good. But actually, play is a very important and strong tool to ensure engagement, learning experiences and outcomes as well as contribute to wellbeing. The chapter focuses on different kinds of play and its universal ability to transport the mind into positive emotions, expand cognitive flexibility, and dissolve social boundaries and train social skills that help to navigate life. First the chapter will focus on What play is, then on Why it creates positive learning experiences and finally the chapter will focus on How to implement play in your teaching.