This book explores early childhood teacher educators’ lived experiences in designing and implementing intentional play-based approaches in teaching preservice teachers. The chapters cover action research, teaching stories about playful classroom practices, and diverse narratives about developing preservice teachers’ positive views toward play. Early childhood teacher educators will be encouraged to (re)explore their beliefs about the roles of play and playfulness in higher education.

Readers will learn playful strategies to actively engage preservice teachers in building meaningful knowledge about play and how to use play to support young children’s learning across varied cultural contexts, experiences, and individual differences.