Children enhance their verbal and nonverbal communication skills by working with other students towards a common goal or even when determining the "rules" of their play. Play also gives children the opportunity to express and cope with their feelings, suspend reality, and be creative!
Children are continuously developing their physical skills, both fine and gross motor, during play. Children balance blocks, stack Legos, cut paper to make a sign, manipulate puzzle pieces, play with Play-doh, and more! All of these activities strengthen their large and/or small muscles.
I've also structured the classroom strategically so that children can continuously learn through play and practice numeracy and literacy skills. Children read books to the baby and write shopping lists in the housekeeping corner; they develop spatial relationships when playing with puzzles, blocks, and Legos; they use a fun pointer finger to read poems and nursery rhymes, and retell familiar stories in the reading corner; alphabet and number cookie cutters are at the play-doh table as well.
Play is a great opportunity for learning! I hope you appreciate the students experiences in the photos below!