Why play is a child's work.

Play is a child’s work. Play is how children learn.  The power of play and letting children be themselves rather than pushing them to do things that they are not supposed to be doing yet stands out as an essential part of child development. Children need to be given opportunities to wonder, be creative and think both in and outside the box. They do not need facts. They need the freedom to be.

Reading, writing, and learning academics will always come naturally and instinctively. Children play with objects and count them; children play with blocks and balance them on top of one another to build towers, learning mathematical concepts in their own unique way. They look for the initial letters of their names and recognize them in the classroom; they do jigsaw puzzles which are a stepping stone to literacy and putting letters together to create words. They do it all naturally.

Children need to be guided in many ways to achieve these ideals however developing their self-confidence and trusting themselves in what they do, is their life insurance policy. Being confident, independent and having a good sense of self are the key.

What may seem to be a simple and uncomplicated way for children to entertain themselves is actually a complex process that affects all aspects of a child's life.  The famous educational philosopher Lev Vygotsky said: "Play shapes how children make sense of their worlds, how they learn thinking skills, and how they acquire language."

This article by Valerie Strauss in the Washington Post illustrates a compelling study on academics vs intellectual goals for children called Lively Minds by Lilian G. Katz.  The report looks at ‘earlier is better’ as an ideal in academic instruction for young children and how imaginative play is a crucial component of a child's normal development.