Early Grade Education Practitioners Perspectives of Using Play Base Learning as a Pedagogy in the Central Region, Ghana

While play-based learning was practiced by educators nearly a century ago, the use of play in Ghanaian childrens education was only emphasized when the National Early Grade Education was made compulsory in 2007-2008. Play is important in children’s learning since it is a rich time for the growth of meaningful learning, expansive knowledge, universal skills, creativity, imagination, and enjoyment. There is a need for more study on play-based learning activities conducted in Ghanaian early grade education to offer more recorded support for its use and efficacy. This qualitative investigation by observation and interview approaches to 50 early grade teachers who taught children who were 4 and 8 years old was to address three aims: the type of play most commonly used by teachers in their classrooms, teachers’ perception on utilizing play in their classrooms and teachers’ resources on designing lessons for children. Dramatic play was found to be rated highest in the type of play favourable teachers prefer. All teachers observed have positive views on the use of play in the classroom, and finally, teachers’ resources are rooted in observation of the childrens play interests closely, from works of literature and the internet. The positive perception and implementation of teachers on play-based learning contribute to their professional background, such as the experience of teachers, knowledge, level of education, and how well they get support from the schools principal.