12. October 2026

Inclusion Through Play: Moving BeyondParticipation Towards Belonging

Introduction
Inclusion is one of the most frequently used terms within education, yet it remains one of the most misunderstood. Too often, inclusion is reduced to access; a child is physically present within a setting and therefore considered included. However, physical presence alone does not guarantee participation, agency, or belonging (UNESCO, 1994; Trowler, 2017).
Inclusion is not simply a strategy or intervention but a way of thinking about children, learning and community. It challenges educators to reconsider traditional assumptions about who education is designed for and asks a fundamentally important question: who must change to make inclusion possible?
Historically, children were often expected to adapt to educational systems that did not account for learner diversity. Contemporary understandings of inclusion challenge this perspective. Drawing upon the Social Model of Disability, barriers to participation are recognised as residing within environments, attitudes and systems rather than within children themselves (Oliver, 1983; Oliver, 2013).
This shift requires educators to move beyond notions of integration, where children are expected to adapt to existing practices, towards genuine inclusion, where learning environments are designed with diversity in mind from the outset. Such approaches position diversity as a normal and valuable aspect of human experience rather than as a challenge to be overcome (Ainscow, 2020; Florian and Black-Hawkins, 2011).
Ultimately, inclusion is founded upon the belief that every child has the right to participate, contribute and belong within their learning community. This aligns closely with rights-based approaches to education, which emphasise children's entitlement to equitable opportunities, meaningful participation and recognition of their individual identities and experiences (United Nations, 1989; UNESCO, 1994).

Inclusion and the Need to Belong
Belonging sits at the heart of inclusion. Before children can engage fully in play, learning and exploration, they need to feel psychologically safe, valued and accepted within their learning environment (Bowlby, 1969; Bowlby, 1988).
This sense of belonging develops through relationships, experiences, interactions and everyday encounters with adults and peers. Secure attachments provide children with a foundation from which they can confidently explore, take risks and engage with others (Ainsworth, 1973; Bowlby, 1988).
Belonging is not created through policies or displays alone. It develops through meaningful interactions, culturally responsive practices and environments where children see themselves reflected and valued. Such experiences support identity formation, emotional wellbeing and participation (Hamilton, 2021; Kangas, Lastikka and Arvola, 2023).
Importantly, belonging is both an individual and collective experience. Children need opportunities to maintain their sense of self while also developing connections with others. Inclusive learning communities recognise and celebrate difference while simultaneously creating shared experiences that foster connection and mutual respect.
For educators, this means paying close attention to whose voices are heard, whose experiences are represented, and whose participation may be unintentionally limited. Small actions, such as learning about children's interests, acknowledging their cultural experiences, or creating opportunities for collaborative play, can have a significant impact on children's sense of belonging.

Why Play Matters for Inclusion
Play occupies a unique position within conversations about inclusion because it offers multiple pathways for participation and expression. Unlike many adult-directed activities, play provides flexibility, choice and opportunities for children to engage according to their strengths, interests and needs (Zosh et al., 2018; Danniels and Pyle, 2023).
Play creates opportunities for children to communicate, collaborate, negotiate and solve problems in ways that are meaningful to them. Through imaginative, social and exploratory play, children can participate successfully regardless of differing communication styles, developmental profiles or learning preferences (Crawford et al., 2014).
This flexibility is particularly important for inclusive practice. When there is only one expected way to participate, some children are inevitably placed at a disadvantage. Playful pedagogies create multiple entry points for learning, allowing children to engage through language, movement, creativity, construction, investigation, storytelling or observation.
Play therefore has the potential to reveal competencies that may otherwise remain unnoticed. Rather than focusing on what children cannot do, educators are encouraged to observe what children can do when given opportunities to explore, experiment and express themselves freely (Bruce, 2011; Moyles, 2014).
Play also supports the development of social relationships. Through shared play experiences, children learn to cooperate, take different perspectives, resolve disagreements and build friendships. These experiences contribute not only to learning but also to the development of a strong sense of belonging within the learning community (Vygotsky, 1978; Crawford et al., 2014).

Inclusive Pedagogy: Extending What Is Available to Everyone
A key principle of inclusive pedagogy is the belief that diversity should be accounted for within everyday teaching rather than addressed through separate or additional provision wherever possible (Florian and Black-Hawkins, 2011).
Rather than designing learning experiences for an imagined "average" child, inclusive educators recognise that variability is the norm. As a result, they seek to extend learning opportunities so that all children can participate in meaningful ways.
This perspective encourages practitioners to move away from asking, "Which children need adaptations?" and towards asking, "How can this experience be made accessible and meaningful for everybody?"
Inclusive pedagogy is therefore closely connected to children's agency. Children should not simply be present within learning experiences; they should be active participants who contribute ideas, make choices and influence the direction of learning. When children experience agency within playful contexts, they are more likely to feel ownership, confidence and connection to their learning.

The Environment as a Space of Inclusion
The environment plays a critical role in determining whether inclusion flourishes or fails.
Drawing upon the Reggio Emilia approach, the environment can be viewed as the "third teacher", actively shaping children's opportunities for participation, communication and learning (Malaguzzi, cited in Reggio Children, 1996; Gandini, 2022).
Inclusive environments are intentionally designed to anticipate diversity rather than respond to barriers after they emerge. Such environments provide accessible resources, flexible opportunities for engagement and multiple ways for children to participate (Mistrett, 2017; CAST, 2024).
Importantly, inclusive environments communicate messages about identity and belonging. The books available, the images displayed, the resources offered and the stories shared all contribute to children's understanding of whose experiences are recognised and valued.
When children encounter resources, stories and experiences that reflect diverse cultures, languages, identities and family experiences, they receive powerful messages about belonging. Equally, children benefit from opportunities to encounter experiences beyond their own, supporting empathy, understanding and respect for difference (Kangas, Lastikka and Arvola, 2023).
Creating inclusive environments is therefore not simply about accessibility. It is also about representation, participation and social connection.

Universal Design for Learning: Planning for Diversity
Universal Design for Learning (UDL) provides a framework for proactively designing inclusive learning experiences. Rather than adapting activities retrospectively, UDL encourages educators to anticipate diversity from the outset and create flexible opportunities for engagement, representation and expression (CAST, 2024).
This approach shifts the question from:
"How can we adapt this activity for individual children?"
to:
"How can we design this experience so that all children can access and participate from the beginning?"
By providing multiple ways to engage with learning, access information and demonstrate understanding, UDL supports participation without requiring children to fit a single model of learning (CAST, 2024).
This approach complements playful pedagogy. Both recognise that children learn in different ways and that flexibility, choice and responsiveness are fundamental to meaningful participation.
When inclusion is embedded within planning, diversity becomes anticipated rather than accommodated. Participation becomes an expectation rather than an exception.

From Inclusion to Belonging
Perhaps the most powerful aspiration of inclusive practice is belonging.
Belonging moves beyond access.
It moves beyond attendance.
It even moves beyond participation.
Belonging develops when children feel accepted, valued and respected as unique individuals. It emerges when children recognise that their ideas matter, their identities are represented and their contributions are welcomed (Bowlby, 1988; Kangas, Lastikka and Arvola, 2023).
Inclusive play pedagogy therefore asks educators to think beyond provision and towards community, relationships and participation. It encourages practitioners to move beyond simply allowing children to join activities and towards creating cultures where every child experiences a genuine sense of belonging (Florian and Black-Hawkins, 2011).
This is not achieved through a single strategy or intervention. Instead, it emerges from the cumulative impact of inclusive relationships, responsive environments, thoughtful planning and meaningful opportunities for participation.
When this happens, children experience education not as a place where they must fit in, but as a community where they have a rightful place. It is through this experience of belonging that children are most able to play, learn and thrive (Bowlby, 1988).

Reflective Questions for Practice
The following questions are intended to support professional dialogue and reflection:
• When children enter your setting, what messages communicate that they belong?
• How are diverse identities, cultures and experiences reflected within your environment?
• Do children have multiple ways to participate in learning and play?
• Are there aspects of your environment that unintentionally create barriers for some learners?
• How do you move beyond participation towards a genuine sense of belonging?
• What would children say makes them feel included within your setting?
About the full publication:
This synopsis is adapted from the recent publication Play, Learn, Belong: A Practical Guide to Inclusive Play Pedagogy by MacArthur, Simpson and Babbie (2026).
If you are interested in the themes discussed in this article and would like learn more, please visit the publisher’s website: https://www.routledge.com/Play-Learn-Belong-A-Practical-Guide-to-Inclusive-Play-Pedagogy/MacArthur-Simpson-Babbie/p/book/9781041171744

Case Study: From Participation to Belonging
Sarah, a Primary 1 teacher, was reflecting on inclusion within her classroom after noticing that some children regularly remained on the edges of play experiences. While all children were physically present and took part in classroom activities, she began to question whether every child truly felt included. Some children found it difficult to join group play, others preferred to observe rather than participate, and a few rarely contributed during whole-class discussions.
Guided by the principles of inclusive play pedagogy, Sarah shifted her focus from children's perceived difficulties to the learning environment itself. She reviewed her classroom resources, routines and play opportunities, asking herself how they might better support participation and belonging for all children. She introduced a wider range of open-ended materials, ensured resources reflected the diverse identities and experiences of the children in her class, and created multiple opportunities for children to engage through drawing, building, storytelling, movement and imaginative play.
One particularly successful project emerged from the children's interest in cafés and restaurants. Rather than directing the play, Sarah encouraged the children to shape the experience themselves. Some children designed menus and signs, while others built café spaces using loose parts and construction materials. Children participated in different ways according to their interests and strengths, allowing everyone to make a meaningful contribution.
As Sarah spent more time observing and interacting alongside children, she noticed important changes. Children who had previously been reluctant to join play became more confident contributors. New friendships developed, and children increasingly recognised and valued one another's ideas and abilities. The classroom became a space where there was no single "right" way to participate and where diversity was viewed as a strength rather than a challenge.
Reflecting on the experience, Sarah concluded that inclusion was about much more than ensuring children were involved in activities. It was about creating an environment where every child felt valued, respected and able to contribute in ways that were meaningful to them. By intentionally fostering participation, relationships and representation, Sarah helped create a classroom community where children experienced a genuine sense of belonging.

Reflective Questions
Reflect on how Sarah fosters inclusion, participation and belonging through playful pedagogy, and consider how these approaches relate to your own practice as you explore the following questions:

1. Sarah realised that some children were present but did not fully participate in play. What is the difference between inclusion, participation and belonging, and why is this distinction important for practice?
2. The reading highlights the Social Model of Disability and the idea that barriers often exist within environments rather than within children. How did Sarah's actions reflect this approach?
3. How did changes to the physical environment and play opportunities help children demonstrate strengths that may not have been visible during more traditional learning experiences?
4. The reading suggests that belonging develops through relationships, recognition and representation. What examples of belonging can you identify in the case study, and how might these be strengthened further?
5. Reflect on your own setting: what small changes to your environment, interactions or play experiences could help move children from simply being included to experiencing a genuine sense of belonging?
   Use the discussion space to share your reflections and to network with others.

Key Message: Inclusive play pedagogy is not about ensuring every child does the same thing. It is about creating environments, relationships and experiences where every child can participate meaningfully, be recognised for their strengths and develop a secure sense of belonging within their learning community.

Something you can do this week

Take a step off the everyday wheel and take the time to observe what is happening within your setting. Is everyone contributing during whole class discussions? Is everyone participating in the play opportunities or are some children observing? Is it the same children all the time who are not participating?

Gather opinions from all children about one thing they would like to add to the setting to make it feel more like "ours".

Something you can do this month

At the beginning of the month take photos of the setting and note whose interests, identities and experiences are represented.
Throughout the month gradually change the environment based on the children, families and community. This could be portraits or representations of themselves, different families could be represented through role play props, provide open ended resources so children can access and create in a way which is of interest to them etc.
At the end of the month revisit the environment and ask if all children can see themselves here? Do they have ownership for the space? Are children's families and experiences represented?

Practitioner enquiry

Collaborative Reflection
Extend your learning by sharing your reflections with a colleague or by engaging in a small-scale practitioner enquiry.
For example, you might consider:
• How does giving children more ownership of the learning environment affect their sense of belonging?
• How can children's interests be used to create a stronger sense of belonging?
• How inclusive is our play provision?
• How can children's voice influence our setting and playful approach?
You are encouraged to develop a different enquiry question if it is more relevant to your context. The examples above are intended as prompts to help you shape a question that is meaningful to you and your practice.

Research References

Ainscow, M. (2020) ‘Promoting inclusion and equity in education: lessons from international experiences’, Nordic Journal of Studies in Educational Policy, 6(1), pp. 7-16.
Ainsworth, M.D.S. (1973) The Development of Infant-Mother Attachment. In: Caldwell, B.M. and Ricciuti, H.N. (eds.) Review of Child Development Research. Chicago: University of Chicago Press, pp. 1-94.
Black-Hawkins, K. and Florian, L. (2012) ‘Classroom teachers’ craft knowledge of their inclusive practice’, Teachers and Teaching: Theory and Practice, 18(5), pp. 567-584.
Bowlby, J. (1969) Attachment and Loss: Volume 1. Attachment. London: Hogarth Press.
Bowlby, J. (1988) A Secure Base: Parent-Child Attachment and Healthy Human Development. London: Routledge.
Bruce, T. (2011) Learning Through Play: For Babies, Toddlers and Young Children. 2nd edn. London: Hodder Education.
CAST (2024) Universal Design for Learning Guidelines Version 3.0. Wakefield, MA: CAST. Available at: https://udlguidelines.cast.org (Accessed: 5 October 2026).
Crawford, P.A., Scholes, L., Baker, E. and Hill, S. (2014) ‘Examining the role of play and playful pedagogies in children’s learning and development’, Early Childhood Education Journal, 42(2), pp. 69-77.
Danniels, E. and Pyle, A. (2023) The Role of Play in Supporting Children’s Learning and Development. Toronto: Ontario Institute for Studies in Education.
Florian, L. and Black-Hawkins, K. (2011) ‘Exploring inclusive pedagogy’, British Educational Research Journal, 37(5), pp. 813-828.
Gandini, L. (2022) ‘The Reggio Emilia educational experience’, in Edwards, C., Gandini, L. and Forman, G. (eds.) The Hundred Languages of Children: The Reggio Emilia Experience in Transformation. 4th edn. Santa Barbara, CA: Praeger, pp. 3-26.
Hamilton, L.G. (2021) Belonging in Educational Contexts: Understanding Children’s Experiences of Inclusion. London: Routledge.
Kangas, J., Lastikka, A.-L. and Arvola, O. (2023) ‘Belonging, participation and inclusion in early childhood education and care’, European Early Childhood Education Research Journal, 31(3), pp. 353-368.
Malaguzzi, L. (1996) ‘The hundred languages of children’, in Reggio Children. The Hundred Languages of Children. Reggio Emilia: Reggio Children.
Mistrett, S. (2017) ‘Universal Design for Learning and inclusive early childhood education’, Young Exceptional Children, 20(2), pp. 87-99.
Moyles, J. (2014) The Excellence of Play. 4th edn. Maidenhead: Open University Press.
Oliver, M. (1983) Social Work with Disabled People. Basingstoke: Macmillan.
Oliver, M. (2013) The Social Model of Disability: Thirty Years On. Disability and Society, 28(7), pp. 1024-1026.
Trowler, V. (2017) Student Engagement Through Partnership: A Guide and Update to the Advance HE Framework. York: Higher Education Academy.
UNESCO (1994) The Salamanca Statement and Framework for Action on Special Needs Education. Paris: UNESCO.
United Nations (1989) Convention on the Rights of the Child. New York: United Nations.
Vygotsky, L.S. (1978) Mind in Society: The Development of Higher Psychological Processes. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press.
Zosh, J.M., Hopkins, E.J., Jensen, H., Liu, C., Neale, D., Hirsh-Pasek, K., Solis, S.L. and Whitebread, D. (2018) ‘Learning through play: a review of the evidence’, The LEGO Foundation, Billund: LEGO Foundation.