Thought leadership
An Idea Whose Time Has Come: IES Welcomes New Prog...
June 04, 2026
by Matthew Soldner
This memo summarizes the findings from an evidence review that the Pennsylvania Office of Child Development and Early Learning (OCDEL) asked the REL to conduct on play as a teaching strategy for children in pre-kindergarten to grade 3. As directed by OCDEL, we examined approaches to play as a teaching strategy implemented in academic settings, including preschools, elementary schools, and summer school programs.