International Comparative Study on Educational Practices: How to Help Children Learn to Play During Their Childhood ——Also discusses how "learning through play" serves as both the prerequisite and the driving force behind "learning by doing, learning through application, and learning through innovation"

The phenomenon of "our children not knowing how to play" is becoming a prominent issue in contemporary education. The 2022 Compulsory Education Curriculum Framework advocates for "learning by doing, learning through application, and learning through creation," establishing a fundamental approach to practice-based education; however, whether these practices— "doing, applying, and creating" —can truly take place depends on whether children possess the prerequisite of "knowing how to play" —that is, an intrinsic interest, passion, and exploratory drive. Drawing upon the educational video documentation *Childhood Abroad* filmed by Zhou Yijun's team as one source of inquiry, this paper selects Japan, Finland, India, and Israel as comparative case studies. It examines how these four countries reintroduce "play" into childhood and transform it into learning capacity and creativity across four dimensions: educational philosophy, institutional arrangements, curriculum design, and spatial environment creation. The study reveals that, although the four countries follow distinct pathways, they all share a common consensus—that "play is a fundamental right of children and a fundamental means of their development" —and they offer valuable lessons based on principles such as "de-utilityization, emphasis on experience, interdisciplinary approaches, tolerance of failure, and strong interpersonal relationships." Building on this foundation, this paper proposes and argues that "learning through play" (mastering how to play) serves as both the prerequisite and the driving force behind "learning by doing, learning through application, and learning through innovation." Addressing the practical challenges faced by China's research-based experiential education systems, the paper constructs a framework for nurturing children's game competence—one that takes "mastering how to play" as its core competency goal, uses real-life contexts as its vehicle, and employs interdisciplinary projects as its methodology—thereby providing an international reference for implementing practical education approaches within the context of fostering core competencies and the "Double Reduction" policy. Furthermore, drawing upon the proposition that "humans cannot merely exist for the sake of making a living," the paper explores the profound educational value of "learning through play" across three dimensions—life passion, meaning-making, and the capacity for happiness—while cautioning parents against how utilitarian parenting mindsets can encroach upon children's space for play and push them toward the deeper crisis of becoming "four-no youth."