The HighScope approach to early childhood education is grounded in the principle of learning by doing, known as active participatory learning. This approach provides a balance between independent exploration and collaborative experiences, offering children opportunities to practice existing skills while developing new ones. It supports growth across all areas of development.

At the heart of the curriculum are five key ingredients for learning: materials, manipulation, choice, language, and thought. A wide variety of open-ended materials is made available to spark children’s curiosity and meet their individual learning needs. Children are encouraged to explore and handle these materials in diverse ways, fostering imagination, problem-solving, and creativity.

Through choice, children decide how to use materials and with whom to play during child-initiated times such as work time. These choices empower them to take ownership of their learning, revisit prior experiences, and build upon their knowledge in meaningful ways.

HighScope is play based and child centred, where children learn through direct action. Learning in this format increases the following:

As children play, adults naturally engage in conversation about their activities, helping to expand vocabulary and deepen thinking. Children, in turn, express their ideas verbally and nonverbally with peers and teachers, building shared understanding. Through these interactions, children make sense of their experiences and develop meaning from what they are doing.