PYP Global School Play Day 2026
By Ms. Suci Depari, PYP Teacher
On 6 February, Medan Independent School proudly took part in Global School Play Day, a worldwide movement that highlights the importance of play in children’s learning and development. On this special day, classrooms transformed into joyful spaces where students were given the freedom to explore, imagine, and create through unstructured play.
Unlike structured lessons with specific instructions, unstructured play allows students to choose how they want to play, what materials to use, and who they want to collaborate with. From building with loose parts, creating imaginative role-play scenarios, solving problems together, to simply enjoying creative exploration, students led their own learning experiences.
The excitement and engagement were clearly reflected in students’ voices.
Iskandar, a grade 6 student shared, “I like today because we can play all day long with our friends. This is the first time I joined Global School Play Day, and I feel a little bit weird and confused because teachers don’t tell us what to play.”
Nate, a grade 5 student, said, “I like GPSD because I can play whatever I want and I can do it for a long period of time!”
Reginald, a grade 4 student, said, “I feel happy and this is so much fun when we play without rules from the teacher. We have to talk more with our friends and solve problems together and it doesn’t matter if you lose or win.”
Riku, a grade 2 student, said, “ I like going to different classes and playing Monopoly with my friends. I’m happy!”
Throughout the day, teachers stepped back and became observers, witnessing how play naturally encouraged communication, creativity, problem-solving, collaboration, and resilience.
Global School Play Day at Medan Independent School reminds us that play is not just a break from learning; play is learning.
As Sacha, a grade 2 student, joyfully explained, “Playing like this makes school more fun and makes me want to stay longer in school.”
By giving children the time and space to engage in unstructured play, Medan Independent School continues to nurture confident, curious, and well-rounded learners while celebrating the joy of learning through play.
