Does play build synapses faster?

"Now what we know from research is that it takes 400 repetitions of an act or a learning skill, 400 times, to get one new synapse... OR, 12 repetitions with joy and laughter and you get a synapse because there's a release of a chemical dopamine." - Dr Karyn Purvis. 

This quote appears all over social media and blogs, cited as a reason for play based learning, but the science behind it doesn't appear to exist. The Karyn Purvis Institute of Child Development has responded to people's requests for the citation since Dr Purvis' passing, but they are only able to respond and say that whilst she may have said it they cannot back up the statement, and assume she read it in a book. 

What does this mean for play based learning? 

It definitely doesn't mean there isn't research proving the benefits of play based learning, it just means that this specific fact cannot be backed up. Plenty of research shows that play has significant benefits for children, and the play can take on multiple forms: physical, constructive, language, fantasy or pretend, games with formal rules, and social play.

Children can express themselves more freely through play, and try out ideas without fear or anxiety. There are also many benefits for cognitive development such as problem-solving, collaboration and mental flexibility. Furthermore, play promotes the development of socio-emotional skills like listening, curiosity, negotiating and taking others perspectives. 

How do synapses work?

During infancy the brain grows quickly, with an explosion of synapse formation between neurons. This is called synaptogenisis. The rapid synaptogenisis in early childhood peaks at 2 to 3 years old. But this isn't the end of brain development! 

Once the synapses are formed the brain goes through a process of strengthening and removing synapses depending on use. So the more a synapse is used the stronger it gets, and synapses are are less active are weakened and ultimately pruned, this is called synaptic pruning. 

Early on, this pruning is mostly impacted by our genes but later on it is based on experiences, so the world around the child and the stimulation they receive causes synapses to grow and become permanent. Or if the child receives little stimulation the brain will keep fewer of the connections. 

Lets imagine a baby lying on their back with toys hanging above them. The baby reaches up for the toys, every few attempts, the baby successfully reaches the toy. These successful attempts feedback to the brain saying this worked, strengthening the synapse pathway that led to the action. The more times the baby successfully reaches the toy, the stronger that pathway becomes. 

Social Media's Impact on Research

Social media can be an amazing place to learn new things, whether its ideas for your classroom, tips on getting your child into the bath, or simply feeling less alone in your experience. But it comes at a price, there is no one vetting the 'facts' on social media, it is left to us, the users, to determine if what someone is saying is true.

However, in the same breath it is important to acknowledge that academic research can be unaccessible to many people, whether its behind a pay wall or using complex language. On top of that, not all researchers are also "on the ground", as parents, teachers or speech and language therapists. And most importantly, we know there is a limited number of neurodivergent and disabled researchers, and this impacts the research done. For many individuals social media is the best way for them to share their experiences and knowledge.

All this to say, be careful! And think about fact checking what you read before you apply it to your practice or share it further.

What do you think about play based learning? Leave us a comment below.

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Reference Material

Gray, P., 2017. What exactly is play, and why is it such a powerful vehicle for learning?. Topics in Language Disorders, 37(3), pp.217-228.

Taylor, M.E. and Boyer, W., 2020. Play-based learning: Evidence-based research to improve children’s learning experiences in the kindergarten classroom. Early Childhood Education Journal, 48(2), pp.127-133.

https://www.healthline.com/health/synaptic-pruning

Ackerman, S., 1992. The development and shaping of the brain. Discovering the brain, 6.