EDUCATION
Five ways play and learning go hand-in-hand
Children are hard-wired
to play. However, busy
schedules, homework,
classes and structured activities
like sports and
dance classes can often get
in the way of allowing kids
to feel free to express that
natural behavior.
While these things are
important, it’s just as important
to recognize that play
has a purpose in a child’s
development and it’s an important
consideration for
parents and educators, says
parenting expert and author
Jessica Joelle Alexander.
“Playing together is a
fundamental cornerstone of
family life for children and
parents alike,” Alexander
says. “But with modern lifestyles
busier than ever and
so much emphasis on formal
education and structured
activities, it can be easy to
forget to make time for it.
Given the positive effects it
has on our well-being and
happiness levels, family
play should be the most important
‘homework’ of all.”
Whether you are planning
the next outing or looking
for an enriching activity,
be mindful of how play
has a key role in shaping
and building young minds.
Here are five benefits of
play and how it fits in with
learning.
It lets kids use their
imagination: Playtime
gives kids some space to
freely explore and decide
for themselves how they’ll
complete a task. Offer kids
playful space to create, and
their innate ability to innovate
COURIER L 20 IFE, NOV. 29-DEC. 5, 2019
can amaze you! Fostering
this spirit of creativity
is crucial - the World Economic
Forum cites creativity
as one of the top three
skills the future workforce
will need for success.
Hands-on, play-based
learning builds connections:
Many adults are concerned
about how technology
is affecting children’s
development. Nearly threequarters
of parents (72 percent)
fear technology is
dampening kids’ ability to
think for themselves. However,
six in 10 say they enjoy
using technology when they
play with their children,
and that digital play brings
the family closer together.
Today’s kids are seamlessly
blending real-world, imaginary
and digital experiences,
what some refer to as
“fluid play.”
That’s where learning
resources like Coding Express
from LEGO® Education
come in. Educators
who leverage the Coding
Express early learning solution
can help their students
learn foundational coding
and other 21st century
skills like collaboration and
problem solving. Coding Express
includes that all-important
playful, hands-on
element that lets kids explore
and create through the
child-directed app. “There’s
no better time than today to
ensure the youngest learners
also have access to a
relevant, fun and engaging
way to learn these foundational
skills, and to develop
21st century skills we know
will prepare them for a lifetime
of successful learning”
notes Esben Stærk Jørgensen,
LEGO® Education
president.
Helps children develop
essential life skills: What
is the ultimate purpose of
play? Just observe what
children do and say, and it’s
clear it’s not all about escapism.
Playtime helps kids understand
how things work
in the world and how to interact
with each other.
When you think of it
in those terms, play gives
kids a sense of mastery
and boosts confidence, all
the while enhancing their
problem-solving abilities,
communication skills and
creativity, among other essential
life skills.
Now that you know the
important role hands-on,
playful learning has in
shaping and developing
young minds, discover more
about LEGO® Education’s
Coding Express and more of
its hands-on LEGO® learning
portfolio at LEGOEducation.
com/HandsOn.
— BPT
The holidays are fast
approaching; and when I
close my eyes, I imagine the
spread of dishes that awaits
me. I can hardly wait.
Like me, many of us associate
this month with
food, family and loved
ones. This is a time where
we are reminded of all that
we have to be grateful for
in our lives. It is also a
time that we think about
those who are less fortunate.
Many families cannot
afford to have a Thanksgiving
dinner with all the
trimmings. And even more
have no home to call their
own and in which to surround
themselves with family
and friends. Still others,
instead of sitting around a
table with friends, will be
standing in line at soup
kitchens on Thanksgiving
Day.A
s president of Kingsborough
Community College
(KCC), I know that
many of our students are
among those who are food
insecure. As a college community,
it pains us to know
that there are students who
are unable to focus in class
because they have not had
a meal that day. One of the
reasons, food pantries exist
on college campuses is
to combat food insecurity.
Given the choice of tuition
or dinner, scores of college
students across the country
are dropping out of school
to help feed their families.
This does not have to
happen. We can make a difference.
This season, schools,
churches and other community
based organizations
across the city are engaging
in community service
activities, like collecting
non-perishable goods and
coat drives, to help the
many who are less fortunate.
I ask that you give
generously to food pantries
and soup kitchens; they
are usually in short supply
this time of year. Also, consider
volunteering to be a
part of charitable activities
in your community. Join
me in making this month
a time of Thanks and Giving
.D
r. Claudia V. Schrader
is president of Kingsborough
Community College,
which is an active participant
in the Giving Tuesday
#GivingCUNY campaign to
help make a difference for
a college student. For more
information and to participate
go to: https://www.
cunytuesday.org/organizations/
kingsborough-community
college.
EDUCAT I O N PROFI LE
In the Season of Giving, We Can Make A Difference
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