Play is central to the network of learning, and not merely recreation for learning. Play integrates the child's learning, making learning deep, broad, relevant, thorough, and imaginative. Play and first-hand experiences enable the child to struggle, manipulate, explore, discover, and practice, thus becoming highly competent in a variety of ways.  Through play, children understand and express their thoughts and feelings about the world cognitively and effectively. Our approaches to learning and teaching place the child in the center and offer a balance between teacher-led activities and collaborative inquiry opportunities where the children choose what they would like to do with the materials in the classroom.