Children’s Museums as Places for Playful Learning: A Focus on Child Wellbeing

Abstract

With the emergence of ‘playful learning’ as a concept, there is increasing recognition that play and learning can support one another. Playful activities can facilitate young children’s learning and development, and adults are important to these experiences. This qualitative study explored how young children’s wellbeing is linked to playful learning and development of knowledge and skills in a children’s museum. Museum staff, caregivers, and children provided their perspectives via focus groups, interviews, and ‘draw and talk’ activities. They described what playful learning looks like in a children’s museum, including the importance of role-playing, opportunities for risk taking, and engaging with other children outside the home. Findings have implications for the role of adults (both staff and caregivers) in child learning, skill development, and for personal, social, intellectual and physical wellbeing in out-of-home environments that facilitate playful learning, and how to maximise child wellbeing in said spaces through opportunities to develop child agency, confidence and empowerment.