Let Them Play!!
“I think play is an expression of our creativity; and creativity, I believe, is at the very root of our ability to learn, to cope, and to become whatever we may be. To me, play is the process of finding new combinations for known things – combinations that may yield new forms of expression, new inventions, new discoveries, and new situations.”
Fred Rogers, 1993
Unstructured playtime for our children is just as important as nutritious food and a good night sleep. Children today spend more time in structured play environments such as organized sports and parent/adult led activities and not enough time just playing with their friends and toys in ways that they choose to play.
Play supports healthy brain development by encouraging children to use their creativity and imagination. It promotes problem solving skills and higher level thinking skills as children navigate how to play with someone else or get something to work in a certain way. Play promotes healthy physical development as children learn to use their muscles to do things like hop, jump, balance, and move around people and objects. It is through play that children learn how to interact with the world around them.
For more information on play visit the Voice of Play.
