Connecticut’s recent legislation supporting play-based learning in pre-K and elementary classrooms embraces a transformative approach long supported by child development experts: learning through play.
As we face an increasingly complex world, nurturing children’s creativity, problem-solving skills, and social-emotional growth has never been more crucial. Play-based learning aligns perfectly with these goals—and when paired with science, it becomes even more impactful.
In our work we see firsthand that integrating play-based learning with science, technology, engineering, and math, or STEM, ignites creativity, fuels curiosity, and develops essential problem-solving skills. This combination offers children across Connecticut a path to deeper understanding, lifelong learning, and a future in high-demand fields. Research consistently shows that play-based learning fosters cognitive and social growth.
When children engage in open-ended play, they’re not just imagining—they’re exploring, iterating, building resilience, and having fun. Incorporating STEM activities—like designing rollercoasters or exploring how water moves objects—encourages children to embrace challenges, collaborate, and apply concepts to real-world scenarios.
This “hands-on, minds-on” approach helps them see STEM as engaging, relevant, and fun.
STEM and play bring benefits that go far beyond the classroom, allowing families to explore science together at home, on playgrounds, and in community spaces like the Science Center.
Over the past four years, the Science Center has worked with partners to measure the impact of play to support the STEM topics that are at the forefront of our programs, exhibits, and community partnerships. We’ve collaborated with the LEGO Foundation and the LEGO Playful Learning Museum Network, alongside 18 other museums and experts in play-based learning, to ensure play is meaningfully embedded into our museum experiences and study its influence.
This project makes it clearer than ever that integrating play-based learning into science and engineering activities has deepened student engagement, encouraged collaborative problem-solving, and fostered resilience as students work together to test ideas in a supportive environment.
These activities combine foundational science knowledge with creativity, curiosity, and confidence, making STEM more accessible and relevant. At the end of their Science Center experiences, nearly 85% of students reported increased enjoyment in exploring science and engineering, with over 86% feeling more empowered to think creatively and work collaboratively. Students expressed a more substantial interest in STEM and pride in their problem-solving accomplishments.
All these findings are very instructive as Connecticut wrestles with long-term talent development needs for industries from healthcare to manufacturing. Today’s 6th grader could be entering one of these careers within just 10 years.
Through this initiative, we’ve broadly shared our practices, partnering with the Connecticut Network for Children and Youth to train over 100 program leaders, empowering them to create and lead hands-on STEM activities. Feedback from our Learning through Play workshops shows that program leaders felt confident adapting STEM activities, such as building paper circuits or mechatronic dinosaur claws, to make STEM accessible and engaging.
We look forward to continuing to provide enjoyable educational opportunities for families, schools, and community partners to experience science at the Connecticut Science Center and to share these effective practices with schools and households across Connecticut. By encouraging children to explore science through play, we prepare them for academic success and a lifetime of curiosity, creativity, and engaged citizenship. Play-based science learning opens the door to a future where children aren’t only learning about the world; they are empowered to shape and improve it.
Matt Fleury is president & CEO of the Connecticut Science Center.
