The principle of 'Play to Learn' is a cornerstone of educational innovation. Rooted in the understanding that humans are innately curious and thrive when engaged in enjoyable and meaningful activities, this principle challenges traditional notions of how learning is structured. Instead of viewing education and play as opposites, 'Play to Learn' emphasises their symbiotic relationship, highlighting how playful experiences can enrich learning across a full spectrum of contexts, from structured classroom-based education to casual, everyday games that are underpinned by subtle learning content and objectives.
‘Play to Learn’ was the principle at the heart of so many of ARCADE XR’s successes, and is now even more fundamental to everything we do as 1UP Studios.
But what does it actually mean to us, our partners and our players?
Play is a universal human behaviour that transcends cultures and ages. It nurtures creativity, critical thinking, problem-solving, and collaboration - skills that are increasingly essential in a rapidly evolving world. Most importantly for us, play is a powerful way to switch from extrinsic to intrinsic motivations - in other words, we engage because we want to, not because we have to, which in turn leads to deeper and longer-lasting connection.
Though the joy, satisfaction, achievement, collaboration, competition and all the other experiences that come with play are often reward enough, it has been shown over and over that play is unsurpassed as a means to so many different ends, with learning as perhaps the most powerful and important of them all.
Full-on games - from board games to TV gameshows to AAA computer games - explicitly embrace play. 1UP projects including Time Odyssey at The British Museum, The Keeper of Paintings and the Palette of Perception at The National Gallery and its Roblox counterpart Keeper Council are all clearly presented as games, so users are in a ‘player’ mindset before they even start, the perfect mode to learn almost subconsciously, picking up knowledge by osmosis.
But the principles of play are effective even outside the realms of actual games. ‘Gamification’ has become an overused term and now carries some baggage as a result, but it remains the best description of a highly effective way to bring game mechanics and other game-like elements into less obvious or even non-game contexts. The Hall’s Croft Spatial Archive is a playful, immersive way to explore an important historical location and the archive associated with William Shakespeare’s daughter Susanna Hall. It invites visitors to explore, discover and play within the virtual space, in a way that would be impossible at the actual heritage site. Subtle play-based interactions like these can, in some cases, be even more effective in engaging audiences who might otherwise reject the frivolity of ‘mere’ games.
Play is a powerful tool, but it can take many forms - as ever, the key is to ensure the design reflects the objectives and audience insight.
Like play, learning can also be found in a thousand different forms from structured educational lessons through to picking up a new idea or skill from a TikTok video, and everything in between. None are better or worse, they all just serve different purposes, as do the play-based digital experiences that can help drive engagement with them.
Some games are explicitly designed to challenge students’ expectations within education settings. Our up-coming game created with the Royal Observatory Greenwich and Marvel, currently pre-release, is designed for secondary school classrooms, with students effectively being encouraged to play a computer game instead of their usual science lesson. Needless to say, this typically goes down well…
At the more subtle end of the learning spectrum, Zog: A Forest Adventure invites families to fly, roar and dance their way through Forestry England sites. In addition to the fun and excitement, they also pick up some gentle education about the impact of humans on nature along the way, including noise, litter and fire risks, turning a playful trail into an educational adventure.
No matter whether the learning involved is higher education or scrolling on social media, it all counts and it can all be enhanced and amplified by play.
Creating successful 'Play to Learn' experiences requires careful design. The most effective experiences align the mechanics of play with the desired learning outcomes. Time Odyssey, the learning adventure for schools in museums across the UK, uses interaction mechanics which motivate young players to engage directly with the collection around them.
Equally important is the concept of accessibility. Play-based learning should cater to diverse audiences, considering factors like age, cultural background, and learning needs. Adaptive technologies, such as the dynamic, AI engine we are incorporating into KeeperQuest, our own literacy-focused game platform currently in development, can adjust difficulty levels based on user performance, ensuring that games remain engaging for all learners.
Finally, assessment should be integrated seamlessly into the play experience. Rather than relying on traditional tests, play-based learning often employs formative assessment techniques, where learners receive immediate feedback through the game’s mechanics. This not only helps learners understand their progress but also keeps them motivated to continue.
'Play to Learn' can be seen as frivolous or a distraction from learning objectives, but the evidence is overwhelmingly supportive of the positive impact play can have for learning. This is especially true of engaging learners who are the hardest to reach via traditional pedagogy, with research including reports on Time Odyssey highlighting the way its use of digital play was effective across classes with a wide range of needs and abilities.
As technology continues to evolve, so too does the potential for innovative play-based learning experiences. Emergent technologies such as augmented reality and AI alongside more mature digital tools enables us to create educational experiences that are not only effective but also deeply engaging.
The principle of 'Play to Learn' represents a shift in how we think about education. By embracing the full spectrum of play, from structured games to informal interactions, we can leverage the power to unlock human potential and inspire a lifelong love of learning. By following the ‘Play to Learn’ mantra and embedding it at the heart of everything we do, we move closer to a world where learning is not just a task, but an adventure.