A group of Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools parents is calling for more play in kindergarten classrooms, pointing to research on its benefits and to a similar effort underway in nearby Cabarrus County.
Mollie Auerbach’s daughter will start kindergarten at Eastover Elementary School this fall. While touring the school, Auerbach said she was impressed overall — but noticed something missing.
She said the kindergarten classroom lacked basic play elements such as blocks or a dramatic play area.
Auerbach said CMS teachers have told her that increasing instructional time requirements and testing expectations have steadily reduced time for play. As a former kindergarten teacher in Virginia, she said she has seen firsthand how important that time is for children’s development.
She said when play isn’t intentionally built into the day, children will try to create it anyway, often at other times. That, she said, puts teachers in the position of working against young children’s natural desire to talk, build, act and relate to their peers.
‘K Needs Play’
Auerbach is part of a group of parents that has formed an organization called K Needs Play. The group is asking CMS to adopt one hour of play-based education each day for kindergarten students.
So far, the group has collected about 1,500 signatures on a petition and presented its case at a school board meeting this week.
Auerbach emphasized that play-based learning is not the same as recess. Instead, it is intentionally built into the instructional day and is choice-based, allowing students to select activities and have a say in how they learn.
She said young children learn best through play — by acting out stories, building models and engaging in hands-on activities connected to what they are studying, rather than spending extended time on screens or worksheets.
CMS officials say that while kindergarten classrooms do not explicitly use a “play-based learning” model, teachers regularly incorporate play and enrichment activities designed to encourage imagination and creativity.
Research suggests play-based learning can have academic benefits. The Lego Foundation reviewed 26 studies and found that play-based approaches can help close achievement gaps. North Carolina Superintendent of Public Instruction Mo Green’s strategic plan also calls for expanding play-based learning statewide.
Some districts have already moved in that direction, including Cabarrus County Schools.
Cabarrus County Schools implemented play-based learning in every kindergarten classroom this school year, following several years of pilot programs.
Sarah Reeves, the district’s chief academic officer, said the shift began after leaders realized they lacked effective ways to track students’ social skills and developmental milestones.
As the district tried to gather data on kindergarten readiness, Reeves said officials found that their existing instructional framework did not provide clear structures for assessing students’ developmental progress.
District leaders say the new model is helping students learn how to interact with peers while giving them more ownership over their learning. Reeves said the district is confident enough in the early results that it is now working with universities to study the initiative’s impact.
Inside the classroom
At Charles E Boger Elementary School in Kannapolis, kindergarten students rotate through play stations that mirror their lessons. In one classroom, children sort items for sale, set prices and count toy coins at pretend stores.
Teacher April Vermiere circulates through the room during the hourlong play block, observing and joining in as needed.
She said the approach allows her to reinforce concepts, assess what students have retained and identify where additional support is needed — sometimes by letting students take on the role of the teacher themselves.
Vermiere said giving students choices helps them feel more in control of their learning. The time also allows them to practice skills such as empathy, sharing and conflict resolution.
Principal Dawn Rainey said play-based learning is intentional and carefully planned, much like traditional instruction. She said the school’s test scores have improved, and while it’s difficult to attribute that to any single factor, she believes play-based learning has played a positive role.
Rainey said the combination of a strong core curriculum in English language arts and structured play opportunities gives students the time they need to interact, focus and participate more effectively in whole-class activities.
Implementing play-based learning requires new classroom materials and professional development for teachers. Cabarrus County began with a limited pilot before expanding districtwide.
Auerbach and other CMS parents say they want Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools to consider a similar approach.
