I n 2023 , Falk Laboratory School is partnering with Hatch Partners in Play on a research project investigating children ’ s play . Alongside humanities courses like music , art , yoga , and WonderLab , kindergarteners now have a class called Playlab multiple times per week .
Tegan Ambrose , who previously taught kindergarten at Falk , runs the Playlab class , documenting how kindergarteners play and offering occasional “ provocations ”— materials like markers and , on one occasion , a bag of chestnuts — to spark their imaginations . Children complete play journals , giving Hatch and researchers from Falk and Pitt ’ s School of Education additional insight into what happens when children play .
Playlab was developed in concert with Pittsburgh Faison K – 5 as an equity-focused initiative designed to help educators prioritize extended periods of play . This year , it is running there and at Pittsburgh Arsenal PreK – 5 as well as at Falk . Hatch provides educators in these schools with a flexible framework and a collection of practices , including play stories and play journaling . Playlab is supported by partners Remake Learning , The Grable Foundation , and The Pittsburgh Foundation .
Play has always been central to Falk ’ s educational philosophy . Unstructured , selfdirected inquiry is at the heart of the school ’ s approach to learning , and recess is part of every student ’ s day . The class also fits with Falk ’ s emphasis on research : By paying close attention to how children play , researchers hope to delve more deeply into what happens in those moments and how play supports children ’ s learning .
FALK LABORATORY SCHOOL | UNIVERSITY OF PITTSBURGH 29