The Importance of Play

An infant drops her spoon.  It falls from view with a cling-clang as it hits the floor.  Where did it go?  Did it disappear?  She doesn't know but what FUN!  The child repeats this dropping routine as long as there's a handy adult available to retrieve the spoon. Why?  She's learning about object permanence and not through laborious drudgery but through play.  For her learning is fun.

Today, in the studio, a child wrapped herself in shimmery turquoise cloth and announced, "I'm the mom".  There must have been an unspoken consent amongst the group because they began acquiescing to everything she said.  "Put that over there."  "No you can't play that game, you have to sit down, I'm making supper." After several minutes I asked, "Who's making the rules?"  The group pointed to the mom.  So I ask, "Why does she get to make the rules?" They answer, "Because she's the mom.  Mom's always make the rules."  Their shared understanding of mom allowed the play to unfold without a hitch.  

Through play children negotiate complex social scenarios, problem solve and construct imaginative stories all while having a good time.  When it's no longer fun the play morphs into something else because play, by definition, is fun.

As adults we often dismiss play in subtle ways.  Even our vocabulary showcases our play prejudice.  "That's child play."  "You're being childish." etc.   But play IS a child's work.  It's fundamental to how children (which means humans) are hardwired to learn.  Why?  Science suggests that our prolonged human childhoods afford us increased opportunities to play.  This frolic may be largely responsible for our big neocortex.  What does that mean?  That play may be essential to why humans are... well...human.

Children today have less time for unstructured play than they did even a few decades ago.  Meanwhile educational policy and academic benchmarks seldom take into consideration the importance of play. When people emphasize the three R's at the expense of the big P...Play... I wonder if they've forgotten the thrill of discovery and the wonder that follows.  Like catching a snowflake on your tongue and wondering at the intricate crystalline structures blanketing the ground in white.  Life without play is not nearly as alive or fun.

Play cultivates a love of learning and a love of learning will serve a child their whole life long.

Read this brief article from NAEYC entitled 10 Things Every Parent Should Know About Play