Play’s the Thing

11/01/2021

It is a happy talent to know how to play.
Ralph Waldo Emerson

“What if one of the answers to reducing inequality and addressing mental health concerns among young children is as simple as providing more opportunities to play?” asked Jackie Mader in an article in The Hechinger Report. She explains, “A growing body of research and several experts are making the case for play to boost the well-being of young children as the pandemic drags on—even as concerns over lost learning time and the pressure to catch kids up grow stronger.

Play is so powerful, according to a recent report by the LEGO Foundation, that it can be used as a possible intervention to close achievement gaps between children ages 3 to 6. The report looked at 26 studies of play from 18 countries...The report found that play enabled children to progress in several domains of learning, including language and literacy, social emotional skills and math.”

In her best-selling book, Really Seeing Children, popular author Deb Curtis expresses her concern that early childhood educators will bow to pressure and stop advocating for play.

“One of my worries about the growing focus on academics and school readiness in programs for young children is it keeps many teachers from seeing children’s innate, lively minds at work.”

The newest Out of the Box Training, “Translating Play-Based Learning for Families,” provides tools to help early educators identify the value of learning through play and make that learning visible for families. Holly Delgado, whose article provides the basis for the Training, reminds us that when families ask their children what they did in early care and education programs, the answer is often, “played.” It’s crucial that ECE practitioners help families see the richness of what “played” really means.

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