Engaging teaching has emerged as a key approach to fostering children's socio-emotional and cognitive skills. This policy note draws on findings of a recent comparative study on the LEGO Foundation's Engage, formerly known as Playful Learning Across the Years (PLAY)1, classroom observation tool, and the World Bank's Teach Primary instrument. The study highlights how these tools complement each other and underscore the importance of actionable strategies to integrate and monitor engaging teaching practices in primary schools, including across low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) where they tend to be less common. By leveraging these tools to monitor teaching practices, policymakers can signal the importance of compelling, engaging, and inclusive teaching approaches that enhance educational outcomes.