WWW.QNS.COM RIDGEWOOD TIMES AUGUST 30, 2018 15
BACK TO SCHOOL
5 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 oft en 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 eff ects 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 fi ve benefi ts of
play and how it fi ts in with learning.
1. IT LETS KIDS USE THEIR
IMAGINATION
Playtime gives kids some space to
freely explore and decide for themselves
how they'll complete a task.
Off er kids playful space to create, and
their innate ability to innovate 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.
2. PLAY HELPS CHILDREN
DEVELOP IN A NATURAL
WAY
Think of how kids learned the alphabet.
You didn't sit them in a chair
and drill them on their letters - it was
framed in a happy song. That illustrates
how play-based learning can be
a low-pressure but highly engaging
way to learn.
Young people seem to have an intuitive
grasp of how well this learning
method works for them. Four out of
fi ve children say they learn better
when play is incorporated into the
activity, according to a recently
released study, the LEGO® Play Well
Report, which surveyed nearly 13,000
parents and children in nine countries.
Nearly all parents (95 percent) see play
as essential for children's well-being
and learning, and 82 percent think
children who play more will be more
successful in future studies and work.
3. PLAY PROMOTES
HAPPINESS
Kids are naturally inclined to play,
so allowing them time to play lets kids
be in their natural state. The study
results show a strong link between
the hours spent playing together and
the happiness of a family. Nearly nine
in 10 families (88 percent) that play
fi ve or more hours a week say they
are happy. However, when hours of
playtime are decreased to less than
fi ve hours, there's a marked decrease
in the self-reported happiness level,
to three-quarters of families. But the
good news for these families: It just
goes to show that making an eff ort to
add minutes of play each day makes a
huge diff erence!
4. HANDS-ON, PLAYBASED
LEARNING BUILDS
CONNECTIONS
Many adults are concerned about
how technology is aff ecting children's
development. Nearly three-quarters 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
"fl uid 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.
5. 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 confi dence, 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.
Courtesy BPT