Abundant research affirms again and again the powerful impact of play in every area of child development: cognitive, motor, emotional, social, and language. At its best, play is child directed and open ended, giving the child limitless opportunities to manipulate and learn about the world around him/her.
Children playing with simple building materials learn to negotiate for pieces, collaborate, observe each other's work for new ideas, and learn first hand about balance, symmetry, and spatial relationships. Children like Rebecca, who pretend to read, actually learn important concepts about print and the pleasure that books can bring. Card games can teach children to take turns, sharpen focus, and build math skills.
Of course, along with growth come some bumps and challenges. A good teacher uses conflict between children to guide them toward independent problem solving, empathy, fairness, and assertiveness.
Tapping into our own sense of play can help in making sure that our children take full advantage of this special time in their lives. What did you like to play as a child? Do you remember how it made you feel? I'd love to hear your responses.
Very cute.
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