- Article
While play pedagogies are increasingly recognised in early childhood science education, existing approaches predominantly rely on adult-designed play contexts. Less is known about how scientific learning emerges when children lead their own play within classroom environments equipped with open-ended materials. This qualitative case study explores how children’s self-initiated building activities and teachers’ responsive guidance contribute to early science learning. The study was conducted in an urban public kindergarten with 20 children aged 4–6. Data were collected through participant observation using video recordings, field notes, reflective journals, and visual documentation. Qualitative data analysis revealed three key findings: (a) Self-initiated constructive play naturally prompts children to encounter foundational scientific concepts, such as balance, base of support and structural stability. (b) Critical incidents, such as spontaneous tower collapses and balance failures, when mediated by responsive teacher interventions, act as natural triggers to transform children’s individual trial-and-error experimentation into shared scientific inquiry. (c) A dialectical loop exists between everyday and scientific concepts, leading to the emergence of agency-driven scientific play. As children’s understanding grows, they naturally use scientific concepts to guide their next constructions. These findings suggest that early science learning is not a linear transfer of knowledge but a continuous cycle where play and scientific thinking enrich each other. Pedagogically, this study suggests moving away from rigid, adult-directed play activities toward creating material-rich environments where teachers leverage spontaneous building challenges as meaningful opportunities for inquiry.
13 November 2026
