More Movement, Imagination and Self-Directed Play Needed

In an online article in the Atlantic, Lara Dotson-Renta writes that “experiential learning, in which children acquire knowledge by doing and via reflection on their experiences, is full of movement, imagination, and self-directed play. Yet such learning is increasingly rare in early-childhood classrooms in the U.S, where many young children spend their days sitting at tables and completing worksheets. Kindergarten and preschool in the U.S. have become more and more academic, rigorously structuring kids’ time, emphasizing assessment, drawing a firm line between ‘work’ and ‘play’—and restricting kids’ physical movement. A study from the University of Virginia…found that, compared to 1998, children today are spending far less time on self-directed learning—moving freely and doing activities that they themselves chose—and measurably more time in a passive learning environment.”

Rusty Keeler’s popular new book, Adventures in Risky Play, encourages all early childhood educators to look for ways to include more experiences full of the “movement, imagination and self-directed play” that Dotson-Renta describes.

Children’s play advocate and consultant, Marc Armitage, says: “This is a book that encourages you to completely change the way you think about how children could and should play.” The book offers gentle guidance to help adults say yes to more risky play, while also keeping a firm grasp on safety.

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