Early childhood educators

Early childhood educators

Our Conceptual PlayWorld model has been developed by one of the world’s leading experts in early childhood education Laureate Professor Marilyn Fleer and is based on decades of research.

  • Increase girls’ engagement in STEM by changing the way the children interact and share spaces typically occupied by boys.
  • Improve executive function and school readiness through problem-solving. This was particularly the case for children from disadvantaged backgrounds.
  • By harnessing the power of play, PlayWorlds create an environment that motivates children to learn.

Create a PlayWorld

Conceptual PlayWorlds combine imagination and play to foster rich learning experiences for young children, particularly when learning key concepts in STEM.  It’s a model that is designed to empower educators to apply world-leading research in their classroom and requires no special equipment.

Educators structure around five key characteristics and then adapt it according to the story they choose, the concept they want to teach, the time they have and most importantly, the children they work with.

To support educators implement PlayWorlds – and learn more about the research behind them – we have created a range of resources and videos as well as free online professional development.

Start creating your own PlayWorld

PlayWorlds in action

See some examples of Conceptual PlayWorlds that we've trialled in preschools, childcare centres, family day care, kindergartens and primary schools.

See more PlayWorlds in action

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Success story

The bang for your buck is huge

Steph Hoy works in Family Day Care in South Australia. She says she found Conceptual PlayWords easy to pull together and yielded huge results for the children in her care.

Educators Preschoolers
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Success story

Kindergarten in Queensland

Tiana Gillman is a kindergarten teacher at Sheldon College in Queensland

Educators Preschoolers
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In practice

Using a PlayWorld to teach about maps

Teacher Belinda O’Dea speaks about the experience of using Rosie’s Walk with her group of pre-primary students in Mount Barker, Western Australia.

Educators Early Primary

Learn with us

Would you like to build your own understandings and knowledge of Conceptual PlayWorlds? Sign up to our free online PD for early childhood educators and teachers.

Find out more about the free online course

Research behind the model

The Conceptual PlayWorld model is part of a larger five-year research project called the Monash PlayLab.

The Monash PlayLab project is led by Monash Laureate Professor Marilyn Fleer. It is supported by a five-year $3.2 million Laureate Fellowship from the Australian Research Council.

Learn more about our research

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