Play and Literacy Go Hand in Hand in St. Margaret’s Early School

At St. Margaret’s Early School, the connection between play and literacy is both purposeful and joyful. Thoughtfully planned lessons combine imaginative exploration with meaningful skill-building, allowing students to grow through hands-on, developmentally appropriate experiences. Teachers carefully design each activity to nurture curiosity, spark creativity and guide students through key early learning milestones.

Classrooms are filled with resources that support young learners as they explore letters, shapes and symbols in playful, engaging ways. Whether molding clay into letter shapes, building sand structures or making pies in the sandbox, or forming letters with wooden sticks, Early School students are naturally building the foundations of reading and writing. These young learners are often provided open-ended materials, as it encourages creativity, critical thinking, and problem-solving, allowing them to explore concepts in a hands-on and meaningful way.

“When considering the development of literacy skills in young students, it’s important to think about what they are exposed to and how they can use materials to understand new concepts,” said Dr. Stefania Rubino, Early School director.

At St. Margaret’s, these everyday moments are more than just fun, they’re key stepping stones in developing language and literacy skills. Learning the alphabet is a full-body experience. When Early School students build letters out of clay and open-ended materials like glass marbles or wooden tops, play becomes a powerful path to understanding and exploration.

In addition, teachers work closely with families to reinforce the importance of play in early education. Parents are encouraged to take part in reading activities, school events and classroom life, helping create a strong home-school connection. With play woven into every part of the Early School experience, students at St. Margaret’s are building academic readiness, and also social skills, confidence, and a lasting love of learning.

Dr. Rubino expressed, “Often, you’ll hear a child exclaim, ‘Look, I made an A’ followed by another saying, ‘I can make an E.’ These playful moments, where shapes become letters, lead to excitement and encourage further exploration. What begins as playful experimentation lays the foundation for understanding letter formation.”

Embedding literacy skills in play and providing these rich resources allows St. Margaret’s Early School educators to guide developmental readiness, as students learn about letters, shapes and colors through play. Ultimately, by weaving play into the fabric at St. Margaret's Early School, students are equipped to develop cognitively through developmentally appropriate practices rich in social connections, language, and learning.