UA&P CDE Center

Development in Focus: The Many Faces of Play

This time, we take a closer look at constructive play and how children learn through building, creating, testing, and problem solving. 🧠

Constructive play is more than building towers and structures. It is how children explore ideas, solve problems, and make sense of the world around them.

Through stacking, connecting, balancing, and creating, children develop critical thinking, persistence, creativity, and confidence, one build at a time. ✨

In every structure they create, there is thinking, learning, and growth happening beneath the surface.

Happy Mother’s Day to the amazing moms who make every day brighter with love, cuddles, and superhero-level patience! 💖

From sticky little hands to big warm hugs, thank you for helping our preschoolers grow, learn, and sparkle every day. You’re the real MVPs of snack time, story time, and everything in between! ✨

We’re excited to launch our NEW Summer Activities Program! ☀️

✨ Melody Makers – discover the joy of singing 🎤
✨ Strum Squad – fun with ukulele 🎸
✨ Groove Crew – groove to K-pop hits 💃🏻

Join us every Monday, Wednesday & Friday from June 29 to July 15 for exciting classes designed to build confidence, creativity, coordination, and self-expression in a fun and encouraging environment!

📩 Scan the QR code or message us to enroll today! 🎉

Happy Labor Day! 🎉

To parents, families, and all the hardworking individuals out there, thank you for your dedication and the work you do every day. You inspire our little learners in more ways than you know. 💕

Enjoy the holiday, get some well-deserved rest, and we’ll see you back in class soon! ✨

🇰🇷 South Korea Study Tour Day 4

Today marks the final chapter of our study tour in South Korea, where we experienced how learning unfolds across universities, early childhood settings, and community learning spaces.

At Yonsei University, College of Human Ecology, we attended a Family Relations lecture with Dr. Soo Mi Lee and engaged with faculty and students from Child and Family Studies, including Dr. Sooyeon Byu and Dr. Hyo Jung Lee. Conversations and learning spaces within the Child Development Research Institute and lab school reflected a culture of play based, unstructured, and holistic learning, alongside counseling and play therapy practices. We were also introduced to the HLID (Human Life and Innovative Design) program by Dr. Daniel Shin, opening possibilities for interdisciplinary collaboration in education and design. Across these experiences, one idea stood out clearly. Play is not only for children, but a way of understanding learning itself.

At Eugene Day Care, we observed responsive environments where spaces and materials adapt to children’s needs, supporting flexible and child centered learning in practice.

Our final visit was the Uiwang Reggio Play Lab in Uiwang, a city supported learning ecosystem where schools, teachers, families, and local government come together. Through workshops, material exchanges, upcycling projects, and documentation exhibits, learning becomes visible, shared, and continuously co constructed. The shift from “What did you learn today?” to “What did you make today?” captures its philosophy.

Across all four days, we extend our sincere gratitude to , the Korea Center for Children and Teachers, for connecting us to these meaningful learning spaces that continue to shape our understanding of early childhood education as relational, evolving, and deeply contextual.

🇰🇷 South Korea Study Tour Day 2

Our study tour highlighted the diverse environments where learning takes place, from nature-based experiences to structured early childhood programs and higher education.

At Forest School Korea, set within Gyeongbokgung Palace, we experienced how nature, culture, and play come together to create meaningful learning opportunities. Through exploration and interaction, children engage with their surroundings in ways that foster curiosity and connection.

At the Early Childhood Learning Center, we gained deeper insight into early childhood education as a critical stage of development. With a strong focus on holistic growth, the program emphasizes socioemotional development, active learning, and the value of play.

We also visited Korea University, where we were guided through the campus by a UA&P IMC alumna currently pursuing her doctoral studies, offering a glimpse into future academic pathways.

These experiences continue to reinforce that learning is a continuous journey shaped by environment, experience, and meaningful engagement.