The importance of play in early childhood education (ECE) cannot be overstated. It serves as a vital component in children’s development, influencing emotional, intellectual, and social growth. Recognizing this, various initiatives worldwide have emphasized play-based learning (PBL) as a cornerstone of educational practices; however, the effective implementation of play-based pedagogies relies heavily on teachers’ capacity and training. Hence the need for research to unearth evidence on teachers’ capacity for play-based learning to inform public policy in ECE. A sequential mixed-methods methodology was employed which involved a qualitative study followed by a quantitative study to investigate teacher capacity building for play-based early learning.