Early childhood is the precious time when many future capacities for learning, communicating and problem solving take place within the process of play, imagination, and the sensory interactions a child has with his/her environment.
Play develops the brain architecture necessary to create efficient pathways used for later academic learning. For example, when a child walks on a balance beam (pretending it’s the Billy Goats Gruff bridge), she is developing the vestibular system in the inner ear that will, in turn, help her follow a line of print in a book someday when reading!
To encourage later academic learning, we must encourage children to truly play.
When children have the chance for self-directed play, they:
- Utilize creative ideas and imagination
- Master physical skills
- Cooperate and negotiate with others
- Solve problems on their own
- Talk and learn with friends
- Learn to make decisions
When children have a chance to play outdoors they:
- Appreciate beauty
- Burn more calories
- Master physical skills
- Explore with their senses
- Play new ways with friends
- Observe and investigate nature
