Learning Frameworks & Standards: Understanding Educational Approaches
Navigating the world of early childhood education can be overwhelming with countless methodologies, standards, and frameworks. ThinkPlayful™ provides a research-backed, guided play methodology that incorporates and aligns with existing models and frameworks.
Major Early Learning Frameworks
Montessori Method
Studies show Montessori students demonstrate better executive function and academic performance (Lillard & Else-Quest, 2006; Lillard, 2012)
Benefits appear primarily in "high-fidelity" Montessori programs with proper teacher training and authentic materials (Lillard, 2012)
Developed by Dr. Maria Montessori, this approach emphasizes child-led learning in prepared environments. Children choose activities that match their interests and developmental level. This model is organized around scientific principles based on child development observations including:
Mixed-age classrooms
Child-directed activity selection
Uninterrupted work periods
Specialized educational materials
Reggio Emilia Approach
Studies show students demonstrate enhanced creativity, collaboration skills, and problem-solving abilities (Edwards, Gandini & Forman, 2011; Rinaldi, 2006)
Requires extensive teacher training and professional development for effective implementation (Edwards, 2002)
Originating in Italy, this framework views children as capable researchers who construct knowledge through projects and collaboration. This model is organized around specific interconnected "elements" including the following:
Project-based learning
Documentation of learning processes
Environment as "third teacher"
Community involvement
Waldorf/Steiner Education
Longitudinal studies show students demonstrate enhanced creativity, social competence, and academic achievement by high school (Oberman, 2008; Mitchell & Gerwin, 2007)
Some studies show initially slower academic skill development, though this aligns with the approach's developmental philosophy (Suggate, 2009)
Created by Rudolf Steiner, this approach emphasizes imagination, creativity, and delayed academic instruction until age seven. This model focuses on developmental "areas" appropriate for different ages including:
Artistic and practical activities
Natural materials and environments
Rhythmic daily and seasonal routines
Holistic child development
Creative Curriculum
Extensive research demonstrates improvements in school readiness and social-emotional development (Dodge et al., 2010; Teaching Strategies, 2018)
Effectiveness depends on proper implementation and ongoing teacher professional development (Puma, 2013)
This comprehensive framework, developed by Teaching Strategies, provides detailed guidance for teachers in creating responsive learning environments. This model focuses on specific "content areas" and "interest areas" including:
Literacy, mathematics, science, and social studies
Building relationships and creating environments
Teaching and learning processes
Assessment and progress monitoring
HighScope Approach
Research shows positive effects on school readiness, particularly social-emotional skills and problem-solving abilities (Schweinhart et al., 2005)
Long-term Perry Preschool studies demonstrate sustained benefits through adulthood including higher earnings and educational attainment (Schweinhart, 2013)
A comprehensive early childhood framework used in many preschools and Head Start programs which includes the following components:
Interest area organization
Intentional teaching strategies
Ongoing child assessment
Family engagement practices
Educational Standards & Readiness
Common Core State Standards
Based on analysis of high-performing education systems globally and cognitive research on learning progressions (Porter et al., 2011)
While not designed for preschoolers, K-12 Common Core state standards influence kindergarten expectations and early learning foundations.
Early learning connections:
Mathematical practices (problem-solving, reasoning)
Language arts foundations (listening, speaking)
Critical thinking development
Head Start Early Learning Outcomes Framework
Developed through comprehensive review of child development research and validated through national implementation studies (ACF, 2015)
Federal framework for children birth to five. This framework includes the following developmental domains:
Approaches to learning
Social and emotional development
Language and literacy
Cognition (including math and science)
Perceptual, motor, and physical development
State Kindergarten Readiness Standards
Based on longitudinal studies tracking predictors of school success (Duncan et al., 2007; Claessens et al., 2009)
Each state defines school readiness differently, but common elements include long-established developmental domains:
Social and emotional skills
Language and pre-literacy
Mathematical thinking
Physical development and health
Cognitive development and general knowledge
Quality Indicators Across Frameworks
National studies on early childhood program quality identify consistent features of effective programs (Pianta et al., 2005; Mashburn et al., 2008).
Importantly, program quality and teacher-child interaction quality predict child outcomes more reliably than educational philosophy or curriculum type (Mashburn et al., 2008).
Look for programs that provide:
Responsive relationships with adults
Rich language experiences
Hands-on learning opportunities
Appropriate challenges
Family partnership opportunities
Supporting School Readiness
Multiple longitudinal studies identify key predictors of academic success (Duncan et al., 2007; Blair & Razza, 2007).
Regardless of framework, children need:
Self-regulation skills
Social interaction abilities
Language and communication development
Basic numeracy concepts
Physical development and health habits
Our Integrated Approach with ThinkPlayful™
Developed through NSF-funded studies and partnership with WestEd, incorporating evidence from multiple educational frameworks and developmental science. Learn more about our independent research validation
Our guided play methodology draws from and aligns with multiple frameworks while maintaining research-backed practices. A recent randomized controlled trial conducted by WestEd found that families who actively engaged with ThinkPlayful reported significantly greater caregiver-child closeness and lower math anxiety (Chen-Gaddini & Rice, 2025).
There are a number of ways that ThinkPlayful™ can be integrated into the above existing frameworks. Here are just a few highlights of alignment:
Montessori: Child choice within structured environments
Reggio Emilia: Documentation and reflection on learning
Waldorf: Emphasis on natural materials, outdoors, active play
Creative Curriculum: Intentional teaching strategies
Common Core: Executive function development, number sense building
Head Start Standards: Family engagement, developmental domains, language development, and Full Early Learning Outcomes Framework alignment - See which standards most align
Supporting Learning at Home
ThinkPlayful™ aligns with any educational framework to extend into your home learning environment. Our app provides guided activities to do together — both on-screen and off-screen — building strong parent-child connections while developing essential skills. Track progress, celebrate achievements, and share learning moments with teachers, grandparents, and other caring adults in your child's life.
For Educators: Integrating ThinkPlayful™ in Your Program
ThinkPlayful™ strengthens family engagement while complementing your program's educational approach. Whether you follow Montessori principles, Creative Curriculum, Head Start standards, or another framework, our platform supports your pedagogical goals while creating meaningful connections between classroom and home learning.
Seamlessly Integrates Family Engagement: Our research-backed approach aligns with established early childhood frameworks primarily by strengthening interactions and family engagement.
Family involvement is critical to children's educational success, yet it remains one of the biggest challenges educators face. ThinkPlayful™ provides families with accessible, research-backed activities they can do at home, creating natural opportunities for engagement. Our platform enables you to:
Provide families with activities that reinforce classroom concepts
Track both classroom and home learning progress
Facilitate meaningful conversations during family conferences
Support families who want to help but don't know where to start
Free for Families, Support for Programs
The ThinkPlayful™ app is free for all families to download and use. For early childhood programs interested in systematic implementation, we offer additional classroom support, professional development opportunities, and research partnership options.
Strengthen family engagement and learning foundations in your program.
Free app for families. Professional development and program partnership opportunities available.
Choosing the Right Approach
When evaluating educational programs, remember that quality matters more than philosophy. Research consistently shows that warm, responsive relationships with adults and engaging learning experiences predict positive outcomes across all frameworks (Pianta et al., 2005; Mashburn et al., 2008).
Consider:
Your family's values and learning style
Your child's temperament and interests
Program quality and teacher qualifications
Practical factors (location, cost, schedule)
The best framework is one that supports your child's development while respecting your family's unique needs and circumstances.
Research References
ACF (Administration for Children and Families). (2015). Head Start Early Learning Outcomes Framework
Blair, C., & Razza, R. P. (2007). Relating effortful control, executive function, and false belief understanding to emerging math and literacy ability in kindergarten. Child Development, 78(2), 647-663
Chen-Gaddini, M., & Rice, J. (2025). Findings from an evaluation of ThinkPlayful™. WestEd
Claessens, A., Duncan, G., & Engel, M. (2009). Kindergarten skills and fifth-grade achievement: Evidence from the ECLS-K. Economics of Education Review, 28(4), 415-427
Dodge, D. T., et al. (2010). The Creative Curriculum for Preschool. Teaching Strategies
Duncan, G. J., et al. (2007). School readiness and later achievement. Developmental Psychology, 43(6), 1428-1446
Edwards, C. P. (2002). Three approaches from Europe: Waldorf, Montessori, and Reggio Emilia. Early Childhood Research & Practice, 4(1)
Edwards, C., Gandini, L., & Forman, G. (2011). The Hundred Languages of Children: The Reggio Emilia Experience in Transformation
Lillard, A., & Else-Quest, N. (2006). Evaluating Montessori education. Science, 313(5795), 1893-1894
Lillard, A. (2012). Preschool children's development in classic Montessori, supplemented Montessori, and conventional programs. Journal of School Psychology, 50(3), 379-401
Mashburn, A. J., et al. (2008). Measures of classroom quality in prekindergarten and children's development of academic, language, and social skills. Child Development, 79(3), 732-749
Mitchell, D., & Gerwin, D. (2007). Survey of Waldorf Graduates. Research Institute for Waldorf Education
Oberman, I. (2008). Learning from Rudolf Steiner. Journal of Curriculum Studies, 40(3), 291-312
Pianta, R. C., et al. (2005). Features of pre-kindergarten programs, classrooms, and teachers. Applied Developmental Science, 9(3), 144-159
Porter, A., McMaken, J., Hwang, J. & Yang, R. (2011). Common core standards: The new US intended curriculum. Educational Researcher, 40(3), 103-116
Puma, M. (2013). The Creative Curriculum for Preschool impact study. Teaching Strategies, LLC
Rinaldi, C. (2006). In Dialogue with Reggio Emilia: Listening, Researching and Learning
Suggate, S. P. (2009). School entry age and reading achievement in PISA. International Journal of Educational Research, 48, 151-161
Teaching Strategies. (2018). Research Foundation: Creative Curriculum Studies
Our approach with ThinkPlayful™ is informed by the best practices of multiple educational frameworks while remaining grounded in decades of developmental science. We refine ThinkPlayful™ based on user feedback as well as on our recent RCT funded by the National Science Foundation and conducted by external research partner WestEd.
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