Professional Learning for Busy Educators

Most schools across the nation have marked the end of another academic year, and it’s time for summer. Time for kids to bolt for the schoolhouse doors for two long months of play, to explore their neighborhoods and discover the mysteries, treasures, and dramas they have to offer. This childhood idyll will hold true for some children, but for many kids, the coming of summer signals little more than a seasonal shift from one set of scheduled, adult-supervised lessons and activities to another.

Purposeful play is an essential component in children’s cognitive, emotional, physical, and social development. Through play kids get to discover and explore the world around them. As Maslow stated ’almost all creativity involves   purposeful play’. Several studies, see visual below, confirmed the importance of play and recess in building healthy environments that are conducive to optimal learning experiences for kids. Some of the advantages of free play for kids, students, and even adults include: it boost one’s moral and energizes their sense of optimism; develops kids communicative, social and cultural competences; enables children to practice learning by doing;  provides kids with an outlet to express their emotions and build social relationships; play develops kids self-esteem and confidence; it is also ‘an opportunity for kids to really see the best in themselves’.The visual below from Playground Equipment, features 50 reasons why play is important in kids social and scholarly life. Check it out and share with us your feedback in our Facebook page.