Improve the learning experiences of children by translating the theory of play into practice.Learning Through Play translates the theory of play into practice while seamlessly integrating the Australian Curriculum, government policy and current trends. It aims to create a shared understanding of play and play-based pedagogies that positively influence the everyday practices of educators and improve the learning experiences of children. The book extensively covers the various contexts that children may engage with during the early years - the period from birth to age 8. Learning Through Play is structured to complement the Early Years Learning Framework and early childhood education studies. It begins by drawing on theories to discuss the centrality of play to children’s development and learning, then delves into the practicalities and challenges of implementing these play-based approaches, and finally discusses the future of play in early childhood contexts. With several learning features that blend theory, context and practical skills, Learning Through Play will not only help pre-service teachers to understand play in principle and in practice, but also to advocate articulately for play-based approaches.KEY FEATURESAuthored as a complete text, rather than as a collection of individual chapters, the book includes current trends and government changes (NQS, EYLF, AC)Addresses the Australian context and integrates indoor and outdoor play within several chaptersAddresses cultural diversity and learner diversity in an integrated wayProvides an introduction to play in the early years by focusing on key themes such as nature and therefore matching how courses are taughtFocuses on children from birth to age 8 (across contexts such as home, playgroup, childcare and school) ensuring the language used and examples provided are suitable in these contextsLinks are made throughout the text to current approaches and the way play opportunities intersect with these to provide the context for learning to occurThroughout the chapters, there are Reflect panels for students to reinforce content previously learnt and reflect on their own experiences; and Investigate panels providing practical activities or research tasks that support the theoryEnd of each chapter resources include a chapter summary, activities, recommended reading and references.