TITLE
Lived Experiences of Kindergarten Teachers in Play-Based Learning in Early Childhood Education
AUTHORS
Mary Joy A. Binlayo
University of Perpetual Help System-DALTA, Las Piñas City, Philippines
Email: binlayomaryjoy8@gmail.com
Josephine G. Maningas
University of Perpetual Help System-DALTA, Las Piñas City, Philippines
Email: josephine.maningas@perpetualdalta.edu.ph
JOURNAL INFORMATION
QualiSearch Journal of Educational Research and Practice
Volume 2, Issue 3, March 2026
ISSN 3082-5636
DOI
DOI: Pending Crossref registration
ABSTRACT
This study explored the lived experiences of kindergarten teachers implementing play-based learning in resource-limited public-school classrooms in Muntinlupa City during the 2025–2026 school year. Grounded in a qualitative phenomenological design, the research sought to understand how teachers navigate contextual constraints, the strategies they employ, the meanings they construct from their experiences, and the forms of support necessary for sustained implementation. Ten licensed kindergarten teachers were purposively selected based on their direct engagement with play-based learning in public-school settings. Data were generated through in-depth semi-structured interviews and analyzed using Braun and Clarke’s six-phase thematic analysis. Findings revealed three central dimensions of experience: (1) persistent structural challenges, including limited materials, constrained classroom space, and institutional pressures; (2) adaptive practices characterized by resourcefulness, strategic classroom management, and community engagement; and (3) evolving professional meanings, including the recognition of play as essential to childhood development and as a catalyst for teacher growth. Teachers demonstrated resilience and creativity in sustaining play-based approaches despite systemic limitations. Drawing from these insights, a multi-level support framework was developed, encompassing individual, institutional, professional, community, and systemic interventions. The findings underscore the importance of grounding policy and programmatic support in teachers’ lived realities. The evidence presented points to the necessity of aligning educational expectations with contextual conditions to enable meaningful and sustainable implementation of play-based learning in public early childhood education settings.
Keywords: early childhood education, kindergarten teachers, lived experiences, phenomenological inquiry, play-based learning
CITATION (APA FORMAT)
Binlayo, M. J. A., & Maningas, J. G. (2026). Lived experiences of kindergarten teachers in play-based learning in early childhood education. QualiSearch Journal of Educational Research and Practice, 2(3).
Corresponding Author
Mary Joy A. Binlayo (binlayomaryjoy8@gmail.com)
This article is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
Published: March 2026
