Play is child's work
Play is the main way pre-school children learn. Play helps them build skills for thinking critically about the world around them and becoming leaders. Play gives an outlet for children's imagination, creativity and ingenuity.
- Pretend play helps children learn to think abstractly, and to look at things from another's perspective.
- Playing with blocks, clay, sand and water helps kids learn to think logically and experiment. Questions that start with "I wonder what will happen if...." turn preschoolers into scientists!
- Play with other kids helps develop social skills like cooperation, sharing, and taking turns; it also helps kids learn and practice ways of dealing with frustrations, and standing up for themselves.
- Active play helps kids develop their large motor skills – running, kicking, leaping, throwing, and crafts help develop fine motor skills – writing, drawing, cutting paper.
- Free unstructured play allows children to follow their imagination and their interests. Learning is fun and self-directed.
[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h_-1O_rBLPU]
For more information on active play, go to Active 4 Life.
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