Play is an integral part of education. It helps students be more creative, visualize, and memorize concepts, and tie social-emotional concepts to pedagogical constructs. When we think of play in classrooms, we often picture younger students—perhaps only those in Beginning School or Lower School. But there is plenty of play going on at Rowland Hall, no matter the age of the pupils involved.

This March, Middle School students spent weeks working to build an amusement park as part of their Digital Gadget Creations course. Part of the computer science curriculum, the class dives into learning concepts like coding, design, engineering, and problem-solving in fun ways that appeal to students' natural creativity and desire to build and experiment.

The range of creativity was reflected in students' projects. One group built robots that box each other, an attraction at the amusement park, and worked on a robot that would follow a line to help it navigate a maze. Elsewhere in the classroom, students inspired by Formula 1 worked on cars that would race on a short track based on ignition timing, while another group built a large, lighted wheel like a carnival ride. This element of student voice and choice is an important part of using play in education. By granting them that agency, students become more invested in the concepts they are learning. Every student in this class was practicing similar skills; the only difference was how they were doing it.

“Every student needed to solve a problem using technology,” said computer science teacher Mauricio Morán. “I provided them the tools to do it and allowed them to pick something they liked to do, but every one of them was ultimately doing the same thing.”

Play helps break down larger concepts into smaller pieces and makes them more accessible to kids.

Play also helps break down larger concepts into smaller pieces and makes them more accessible to kids as they learn. This is especially helpful when teaching challenging subjects, such as computer science or engineering. Because these lessons are built on a foundation of “let’s just play around and see what happens,” students are better able to explore different aspects of a lesson, see failure as part of the learning process, and gain a fuller understanding.

In Digital Gadget Creations, the students learn a variety of different skills, each of which could seem daunting from certain perspectives. They have to decide on a problem to solve and the best way to do it. They have to design a means of doing so—like a robot or a car—and then figure out how to build that item, either using materials available in the classroom or by 3D-printing the materials needed. They then have to figure out how to make it work using small pieces of technology known as microcontrollers, which serve as the central brain for each project. This requires finding code that works, installing it onto the microcontroller, and testing until it functions. By breaking the process down step by step, the students slowly see the bigger picture and are able to overcome obstacles.

“It was a lot of trial and error,” said seventh grader Harper H. “Not only with the coding, but also with the design of our car. We had to figure out where to put the microcontroller so it wouldn’t get broken and wouldn’t affect the weight and slow it down.”

The learning is facilitated by a wonderful playground in the form of the Technology Hub, located in the Upper School on the Lincoln Street Campus. This hub is equipped with everything the kids need to bring their visions to life and gain the skills necessary to do so. There are 3D printers, building materials, circuits, motors, laser cutters, and a variety of other tools at their disposal. They also have plenty of flexible space to work and move while building and designing. (And when the Steiner Campus opens this December, they’ll have even more room. The new campus will be home to the school’s Center for Design and Creativity, featuring maker spaces and a robotics hub that will expand students’ opportunities to create and experiment.)

This type of learning play, in this type of playground classroom, is laying the groundwork for skills students will use their entire lives. Teaching engineering skills improves creativity, reasoning, collaboration, motor skills, and computational abilities. This class also provided basic knowledge of tools they can use now and later.

There were lots of times the microcontroller malfunctioned, and the robot went way too slow or way too fast, and we had to figure out what went wrong and fix it. We didn’t quit until we did.—Elijah L., grade 8

“It could help us at any point in our lives, like maybe if we wanted to go into design or building or coding,” said seventh grader Bridge R. “There is so much to be done with 3D printing in particular. It’s how most products are designed at first now.”

There are social-emotional lessons being learned as well. Through the design and building process, the kids must work together and learn how to communicate their ideas, cooperate as a team, and compromise when necessary. They have to learn how to problem-solve and deal with disappointment without placing blame on themselves or others.

“I can use the perseverance I learned,” said eighth grader Elijah L. “There were lots of times the microcontroller malfunctioned, and the robot went way too slow or way too fast, and we had to figure out what went wrong and fix it. We didn’t quit until we did.”

The way kids play evolves as they mature, but its importance to the learning process does not. It’s all about finding the best way to incorporate it into the curriculum so that students are expanding their abilities—and enjoying every minute.