The demise of play-based learning and why parents and educators are worried

Should kindy and pre-primary students need to spend more time playing? There's growing concern among teachers, parents and academics that play based learning in early childhoodis declining and harming the development of young children. And school principals are being blamedfor being too concerned about NAPLAN results and insisting on more structured learning. This Focus discussion examines the issue with Sue Briggs, who had a 40 year career in education as a teacher and consultant, Dr Sandra Hesterman, Director of Early Childhood Educationat Murdoch University and journalist and mum Daile Cross.