The Power of Play

I recently attended a children’s workshop held in Kansas City. The keynote speakers were Nancy Heathman and Heather Waterfield both from The Family Conservancy. They spoke about the importance of play in our lives.

There are many definitions for play: to occupy oneself in amusement, to act, to pretend to be, are but a few. It is a process, not a thing. Play is different for all of us.

Play helps children construct knowledge they will use for the rest of their lives. It allows them the opportunity to discover and explore the world and gives them the tools they will need to become lifelong learners.

Play is just as pivotal for adults as it is for kids. Play brings joy and it’s vital for problem solving, creativity and relationships.

Children who play do better in school and become more successful adults. Through play children learn to question, predict, hypothesize, evaluate, analyze, form and substantiate opinions and persist through adversity.

Have your children laughed today? Do you share silly stories and fun books? Your local library has several fun books that you can check out. Or why not take your child to story time?

If you want to read more about the importance of play here are a few  resources:

• The Strong – An educational institution devoted to the study of play
• Play: How it Shapes the Brain, Opens the Imagination, and Invigorates the Soul by Stuart Brown and Christopher Vaughan

Karen Allen, Garden City Branch Manager