3 Reasons Play is the Ultimate Way to Learn for Children Under 8

For most children, summertime means playtime.  For parents who are tempted to fill a child’s summer with numerous outside learning programs to “get ahead”, there are several reasons why playtime itself is the best method for gaining knowledge:
 
1. Play provides the two elements to rapid cognitive growth:  open-ended opportunities to explore new ideas with endless chances to re-engage familiar objects/experiences.  It should be a maintstay of a child’s daily experience.  
 
2. Open and mildly structured play encourages (and provides opportunities for the child to build neurological connections around) decision-making, prioritizing, distinguishing, assessing…..the foundations of critical thinking.
 
3. The most effective play (that which provides the richest and most lasting learning experiences) is done alone until the age of 5 or 6.   It is a huge misconception that young children need playmates.  Young children don’t have the cognitive wiring to understand that another child is “another child” and someone they should respect, understand, share with, etc.  This is a widespread misconception among parents, but most child and cognitive experts are fully aware that children don’t have social wiring in the brain that young.

What’s Your Child’s Power Score?

Take a moment to think through your child’s day (best done for children ages 2-18). Reflect on the ways in which he is expected to make decisions, to control his physical environment, and to try new skills. Starting with the beginning of the day, picture the routines that constitute the morning, day and evening. What power does your child have in each phase of his day? What decisions is he allowed to make on his own? What physical control does he have over his activity? How much do you trust him to make choices? And, most importantly, how have you coached him in making those choices?

To help you, I have listed below the activities that most of us perform on a daily basis. How many of these activities does your child do for himself? How many do you do for him? Use this list to evaluate how much power your child experiences in the everyday moments of his life.

If you have a young child, you may feel that he is too young to accomplish these tasks on his own, or perhaps you enjoy doing them for him. If you have a tween or teen, you may envision him shirking some of these tasks or handling them irresponsibly.

EVERYDAY TASKS
 

MORNING

waking up at a set time

completing morning hygiene

dressing properly for the day

making the bed

preparing/eating breakfast

DAILY ACTIVITY

preparing/eating snacks or light meals

completing tasks/chores

choosing entertainment

engaging in hobbies or personal interests

exercising

 

BEDTIME

recognizing a set bedtime

dressing for bed and bedtime hygiene

engaging in calming activities prior to sleep

Mentally give your child a “power score” from 1 to 10, where 10 equates with having control of most of his everyday experiences and 1 equates with having little. Keep this score in mind, as we will be exploring the signals children use when they feel a lack of power. You may find that there is a direct correlation between your child’s power score and the behaviors described below.