Playful pedagogies are within the scope of applied, experiential approaches to learning (Jensen and Rørbæk, 2022), which actively engage learners and center on lived experiences that allow learners to observe, reflect, think, and act (Girvan et al., 2016). Playful pedagogies integrate elements of play—such as joy, humor, relaxation, freedom, and relief—into the learning experience where enjoyment is one of the primary goals. Effective play-based learning also often involves a teacher who embraces a playful attitude, incorporating joy, spontaneity, and humor into the learning process (Shin, 2022). In higher education, playful pedagogies use hands-on activities that combine joy and lightheartedness with active engagement and relevance, enabling learners to draw from their life experiences, interests, and curiosities. This makes the learning process both enjoyable and meaningful. Playful pedagogies promote experimentation, creativity, exploration, collaboration, critical thinking, and problem-solving (James and Nerantzi, 2019; Zosh et al., 2018). Because play often involves exaggeration and stepping outside everyday norms, playful learning invites the use of new tools and methods, encourages reimagining of concepts where students learn with and from one another. Throughout the process, students are encouraged to refine their approach to activities or content, deepening their learning (James and Nerantzi, 2019). Playful approaches to learning include but are not limited to simulations, role-playing, storytelling, and creative problem-solving exercises. Playful pedagogies also involve unstructured free time for students to play (Leather et al., 2021) where they have the agency to choose their kind of play.

Through their four-level pyramid of play, Forbes and Thomas (2022) illustrate that there are several pathways to engage higher education students in playful pedagogies (see Figure 1). Notably, educators have the autonomy to choose the level or levels that fit their goals and comfort levels. The first level, the base of the pyramid, is playfulness, which is necessary and at the heart of playful pedagogies (Forbes and Thomas, 2022). It involves the instructor being playful, and not taking themselves too seriously even while engaging students in serious learning. In Professors at Play (Forbes and Thomas, 2022), Sharon Peck, one of the contributors, emphasizes that many professors frequently use playfulness in their teaching but do not necessarily report about it: “For many of us, playfulness is a part of us in the same way that teaching is part and parcel of who we are” (Peck, 2022, p. 21). The power of professor playfulness is that it reduces unnecessary hierarchy and fear and increases emotional safety in the classroom. For example, an instructor could make the syllabus less formal and more playful or present themselves as a playful person (Forbes, 2021). The second level involves “connection-formers,” activities whose sole purpose is to get people to laugh, find levity, have fun, enjoy each other's company, and connect. These opening activities may or may not be connected to class content because the purpose is to establish relational safety- a precursor for learning. The third level of the pyramid is “play to teach content” which refers to utilizing play as a tool or medium to teach course content. Play to teach content could consist of adding an element of surprise, levity, competition, or gamifying a lesson (Forbes, 2021; also see Forbes and Thomas, 2022 for more examples). The last, highest, and most challenging part of the pyramid is “whole course-design.” Designing an entire course around a theme of play requires the most time and creativity to develop because it involves a sophisticated and integrated course based on play (Forbes and Thomas, 2022). In summary, educators can choose the forms and pathways to playful pedagogy that they see fit, because regardless of the approach, the core of play lies in its benefits to wellbeing and thriving.

Although empirical studies on the benefits of integrating playful pedagogies into higher education classes are limited, several studies have shed light on the relationship between playfulness, play, and social and emotional wellbeing and competence. For instance, Chang et al. (2013) showed that young adults who were more playful experienced more positive emotions, offsetting the negative effects of psychological stress. Similarly, Magnuson and Barnett (2013) found that playful college students reported lower levels of perceived stress. They were more likely to employ adaptive, stressor-focused coping strategies and less likely to turn to negative, avoidant, or escape-oriented strategies, suggesting a positive connection between playfulness and resilience. Hart and Holmes (2022) further examined the link between playfulness and emotional intelligence, finding that playful behaviors in adults may enhance their abilities to manage, express, and regulate their emotions—all components of emotional intelligence. Moreover, Brown's (2009) extensive research on play found positive connections between play and a renewed sense of optimism, belonging, productivity, and adaptability. Simply put, play energizes and renews us, improving our mood; it is a catalyst that affects our wellbeing (Brown, 2009; Dierenfeld, 2024).

After reviewing the perks of play and playfulness for adults, Leather et al. (2021) argued for playful pedagogies in higher education as a pathway to promote play and playfulness, emphasizing that they become part of a planned cycle of learning activities. Forbes (2021), in one of the few studies that have explicitly examined the benefits of adopting a playful pedagogy in post-secondary education, found that students identified several advantages to playful pedagogies. For example, counseling students enrolled in the author's classes found the learning environment lively, engaging, and authentic (Forbes, 2021). They also found that the playful approach to teaching and use of playful pedagogies promoted their wellbeing, reducing stress, anxiety, and fear. Particularly, participants expressed that “play melted away their stress” (p. 65) which facilitated their readiness to learn and to better connect and be receptive to difficult content. In other words, this playful approach supported students' emotional regulation. They reported feelings of belonging and warmth. The playful approach to learning helped them be more vulnerable, empathic, and authentic with their peers, which all enhance motivation and enjoyment of learning (Forbes, 2021). The benefits of play in a field as emotionally demanding as counseling have significant implications for emotional resilience. Pre-service teachers are another group that could benefit from playful pedagogies especially given the stressors of teaching.

Educator preparation programs (EPPs) are responsible for equipping future PreK-12 teachers with the knowledge, skills, and dispositions needed to effectively teach and support diverse learners. They also aim to develop pre-service teachers' social and emotional competencies, which are crucial for creating supportive, inclusive learning environments and fostering teacher resilience. Foundational knowledge in educational theory, pedagogy, and subject content, along with practical application, student teaching, and reflective practice, are all essential components of teacher preparation. However, a significant incongruence persists within EPPs: the emphasis on theory often outweighs practical application, despite the inherently practical nature of the teaching profession. Lectures and theoretical instruction still dominate EPPs as the primary mode of instruction (Jensen and Rørbæk, 2022). Therefore, it is not surprising that very few studies have examined the positive effects of play on teachers and pre-service teachers. One exception is a recent study (Jensen and Rørbæk, 2022) with Danish pre-service teachers which corroborated the role of play in the enjoyment of learning. Jensen and Rørbæk (2022) examined the experiences of Danish pre-service teachers with playful learning-based teaching and found that pre-service teachers who experienced playful qualities in their learning reported higher levels of happiness and feelings of readiness. In another study (Shin, 2022) that used playful pedagogies with early childhood pre-service teachers, participants reported that their learning experience was “extremely fun,” bringing back fun childhood memories. Shin (2022) argued that learning about play theoretically does not fully equip pre-service teachers with the skills to apply playful pedagogies. This point was vividly illustrated by a participant who revealed that they found experiencing playful pedagogy valuable because they did not see the value of play in learning until they experienced it in their class; they experienced firsthand how “play can provoke learning” (p. 13). Experiencing play also helped pre-service teachers feel more confident in their abilities and better equipped with the tools they needed to utilize play in teaching children (Shin, 2022). Lastly, a recent study (Dierenfeld, 2024) found that teachers used play to reframe stressors, restore balance, and renew joy, thereby enhancing resilience and job satisfaction. Taken together, these studies compel us to wonder why do not EPPs infuse the joys and benefits of play and utilize playful pedagogies in preparing teachers, specifically to cultivate their social and emotional competencies? This question is particularly timely given the increased emphasis on preparing teachers who are prepared to infuse SEL in their teaching (Hon et al., 2023). After all, it seems that a playful approach to teaching and learning can naturally create the environment and conditions for cultivating teacher SEL.

Pre-service teachers face unique challenges in developing their social and emotional competencies. The demands of their EPPs, coupled with anxieties about classroom readiness, can create emotional stressors that impede social and emotional growth. Additionally, teaching is widely recognized as one of the most stressful professions within the human service sector with close to 50% leaving the profession within the first 5 years (Sims and Jerrim, 2020). One potential solution is cultivating the social and emotional competencies of teachers which can offset the chronic stresses of teaching (Hon et al., 2023; Jennings and Greenberg, 2009; Katz et al., 2020) and support their wellbeing and emotional resilience. Given that the level of preparation by EPPs affects turnover among beginning teachers (Flushman et al., 2021), they are uniquely positioned to provide pre-service teachers with the foundations they need to support their own social and emotional competencies, a key dimension to systemic SEL. Unfortunately, pre-service teachers' SEL and wellbeing during preparation have not received much attention in EPPs (Corcoran and O'Flaherty, 2022; Schonert-Reichl, 2017). In the US, a national scan (Schonert-Reichl et al., 2017) of EPPs revealed that pre-service teachers receive very few opportunities to learn about emotional awareness and management, which are both critical for teacher wellbeing and resilience skills. Similarly, another study (Corcoran and O'Flaherty, 2022) which examined the growth trajectories of 305 Irish pre-service teachers' perceptions of psychological wellbeing during their four years of teacher preparation, reported a lack of approaches that taught pre-service teachers skills related to emotional competence and wellbeing.

Given that they are role models as well as architects of learning opportunities, teachers' social and emotional competencies benefit student SEL in various ways. First, by embodying social and emotional skills through their interactions, teachers model to students how SEL competencies can be applied effectively and consistently (Oberle and Schonert-Reichl, 2017). Second, teacher pedagogical practices that support student autonomy, voice, and mastery as well as perspective-taking, collaboration, and cooperation promote students' SEL (Greenberg et al., 2017). Third, students gain from learning opportunities that intentionally allow them to practice, refine, and apply SEL skills (Greenberg et al., 2017). SEL programs have traditionally provided a context for students to develop social and emotional skills, but approaches like playful pedagogies may offer a more meaningful integration. One critique of SEL programs is the assumption that SEL is separate from academic learning, prompting calls for greater integration with content (Elias, 2019; Jones and Bouffard, 2012). Playful pedagogies address this by combining SEL development with the academic curriculum. The key is for teachers to clearly identify the academic objectives of playful learning activities, along with the specific SEL components they aim to develop.

The classroom environment is the third and last key dimension of systemic SEL. Teachers set the tone and climate of their classrooms. Teachers who show high social and emotional competence recognize the effects of their emotions and behaviors on the climate and tone of the classroom. When teachers struggle with their social and emotional skills, their classrooms tend to have more conflict and feel less warm, inclusive, and engaging (Jennings and Greenberg, 2009). In contrast, teacher warmth and emotional awareness competencies have been associated with supportive teacher-student relationships and a positive classroom climate, enabling students to engage with their learning, explore, and take learning risks (Jennings and Greenberg, 2009; Pianta et al., 2002). In fact, one meta-analysis of more than 100 studies (Marzano, 2003) reported that teachers who formed positive relationships with their students had 31% fewer behavior problems during the school year than teachers who did not. Playfulness in the classroom sets the tone of the learning environment giving students and teachers the opportunity to enjoy each other's company and engage more deeply in their learning (Forbes, 2021).

Recent studies suggest that preparing teachers who are SEL-ready is gaining attention in EPPs. Experts argue that only promoting teachers' knowledge of SEL is not enough (Hon et al., 2023). In addition to foundational knowledge and a deep understanding of SEL, pre-service teachers need support in developing their personal social and emotional skills in areas such as self-awareness and positionality. They also need to grow their ability to create positive and supportive learning environments and hone their abilities in cultivating student SEL (Hon et al., 2023). Against this backdrop, lectures and readings on SEL, while necessary, do not suffice because they do not offer embodied, genuine opportunities for pre-service teachers to practice, develop, and refine their SEC. Playful pedagogies provide the context for pre-service teachers to practice and develop social and emotional skills and apply these skills with children and youth in their own classrooms while also experiencing humor, levity, and joy. To put it simply, firsthand experience can help pre-service teachers see the value of play in fostering SEL rather than speculate about its role. However, not all experiences result in learning (Dewey, 1938). Therefore, to be intentional about fostering teacher SEL through playful pedagogies, an iterative learning cycle that involves observing, reflecting, thinking, and acting is a necessary part of the process.

In this section, we spotlight two different learning activities to engage pre-service teachers in playful pedagogies and cultivate their own SEL competencies. One activity is at the connection former level of the pyramid and the other provides an example of play to teach content.

The integration of playful pedagogies and a focus on cultivating pre-service teachers' social and emotional competencies hold several important imply several recommendations for EPPs, encouraging them to:

Although scholars have long advocated for SEL training for teachers (Hon et al., 2023; Jones and Bouffard, 2012; Katz et al., 2020; Schonert-Reichl et al., 2017), several large-scale surveys indicate that many teachers feel inadequately prepared to manage the social and emotional demands of teaching. Few teachers enter the field with formal SEL training as part of their teacher education programs (Hamilton and Doss, 2020; Hon et al., 2024). Pre-service teachers also frequently report a gap between their learning in EPP classrooms and their experiences in K-12 settings, often noting that EPPs emphasize theory over practical experience (Ketter and Stoffel, 2008). Playful pedagogies, a form of experiential learning, offer an opportunity for pre-service teachers to practice skills while embracing play, humor, and levity. Our proposed model combines playful pedagogies with an SEL-focused reflection cycle to support the cultivation of SEL for pre-service teachers. Furthermore, given that only about half of in-service teachers believe they are effective in helping students develop strong social and emotional skills, and even fewer feel equipped with effective strategies for supporting students who struggle in this area (Schwartz, 2019), we would be remiss if we did not note that our proposed model can also benefit teachers who have been in the profession for years as well. Professional development that involves applying the model and providing in-service teachers with feedback and guidance throughout the process could help them develop their own SEL competencies and practical, engaging strategies for integrating SEL into their classrooms.

While this manuscript presents a promising approach for integrating playful pedagogies into teacher preparation to cultivate pre-service teachers' social-emotional competencies, further research is needed to empirically validate the effectiveness of the proposed model. It is also worthwhile to examine the application of the model with in-service teachers. Future studies should explore the implementation of this framework in diverse education contexts (teacher education and in-service professional development) and investigate the long-term impacts on teachers' wellbeing, resilience, and ability to foster SEL in their own classrooms. This could be an exciting direction for higher education, particularly for teacher preparation, given the growing emphasis on teacher SEL and resilience.

It is also important to examine and understand the factors that prevent educators from using playful pedagogies to support pre-service teacher SEL in EPPs. Also, because pre-service teachers might start their careers in schools where playful pedagogies and SEL might not be supported, it is also important to help them find the pathways that work for them. For example, a new teacher who cannot teach content through play could find ways of using playfulness and/or connection formers to cultivate SEL.

Our proposed model offers a pathway to integrate playful pedagogies with the teacher learning cycle to enhance teacher SEL competencies. While further research is needed to test this model, it presents a promising approach for actively engaging pre-service teachers in their learning, providing them with both pedagogical skills and SEL competencies. This is a pathway that may be worth exploring because, “Play is our brain's favorite way of learning” (Diane Ackerman, n.d.)