Kokkola University Consortium Chydenius hosted Nordic Network Meeting on Playful Learning

The Kokkola University Consortium Chydenius hosted an international gathering of the Nordic Network for Playful Approaches to Learning, bringing together educators from across the Nordic region to explore creative and engaging teaching methods. The meeting took place on November 26–28, 2025, at the Chydenius Campus in Kokkola.

Participants came from Denmark, Greenland, Iceland, and Norway to join Finnish educators in sharing experiences and best practices for implementing play-based pedagogy. The program included a visit to Torkinmäki School, discussions on phenomenon-based learning, and opportunities to see how playful approaches were integrated into everyday teaching.

Playful learning can really make a difference. It offers different ways of learning and helps include more creativity in education. It’s not just a concept, but more a way of thinking and acting.

Ditte Busted, project coordinator at Playful Learning Denmark, emphasizes that this approach is about transforming the learning experience rather than adding isolated activities.

“Playful learning can really make a difference. It offers different ways of learning and helps include more creativity in education. It’s not just a concept, but more a way of thinking and acting.” 

According to Busted the impact is already visible in classrooms. 
“We can see that when playful learning is implemented, it actually makes a difference. Children engage in new ways, they become more interested and motivated, and learning feels more like an active process rather than something passive.”

From the University Consortium, lecturer Kati Keski-Mäenpää participated, alongside Piia Martikainen and Niina Harju from Torkinmäki School. The network includes both teacher educators and class teachers, creating a strong link between research and practice. 

This joint project has inspired me to incorporate far more playful and participatory methods into class teacher education, instead of the teaching being focused solely on lecturing. In addition to developing teaching methods, we are also conducting research on the impacts and future of playful learning.

Kati Keski-Mäenpää explains: “This joint project has inspired me to incorporate far more playful and participatory methods into class teacher education, instead of the teaching being focused solely on lecturing. In addition to developing teaching methods, we are also conducting research on the impacts and future of playful learning.”

The Nordic Network aims to promote more playful, participatory, and inclusive pedagogical practices across the region. By sharing knowledge and experiences, the network seeks to strengthen children’s sense of community, motivation to learn, and experience of belonging—both academically and socially. The network has previously gathered in Denmark, and in the spring a meeting is scheduled in Iceland. At each gathering, participants share best practices related to playful learning. The project is funded by NEXUS.