The Power of Play

Hello, my precious friends.

If there is one thing I have learned in over fifty years of working with children, it is this: PLAY is NOT a break from learning. PLAY IS LEARNING. The giggles, the make-believe, the building blocks, the muddy hands, these moments are not wasted time. They are the very building blocks of your child’s brain and character.

Let me show you the science behind the practice of Play.

Child development research consistently demonstrates that when children play, a world of development is occurring. The act of PLAY develops more than just imagination. It strengthens memory, builds critical thinking skills, and nurtures social-emotional intelligence.

Consider the report from the American Academy of Pediatrics (2018) that asserted that PLAY is so critical to healthy development that it should be considered essential for every child’s positive growth.

Neuroscientists like Dr. Sergio Pellis found that rough-and-tumble play changes the prefrontal cortex, the part of the brain responsible for emotional regulation and decision-making. In simple terms, children who engage in rich play are learning how to control their actions and emotions better.

This same research recognizes that Unstructured play, where children decide the rules, has been linked to improved creativity and resilience.

You see, my precious friends, Play is NOT wasted energy. It is wiring the brain for the challenges of life.

A Memory from My Years in the Classroom

I remember a classroom of four-year-olds who loved building with blocks. Day after day, they stacked, toppled, rebuilt, and redesigned. These children had plenty of other options for playing but seemed to find the greatest challenge and success in the Block Center. One morning a parent asked to speak with me. She had noticed that her son was constantly working in Blocks. Worried, she asked me, “Shouldn’t they be doing something where they are learning instead of just playing?” I understood her concern. I have fought for PLAY for fifty years because I know just a little of the power of PLAY. Were others see children laughing, I see children learning. I know that PLAY opens the learning receptors of the brain, allowing for the deepest learning to occur while children engage in rich play.

I knew that mama did not realize that while the son was building towers, he was also:

Learning Math Concepts of balance, size, and symmetry.

Practicing Teamwork and Negotiating as he decided with the other children how to build.

Handling Frustration when the towers fell, and he picked the blocks up to rebuild again.

I explained to that parent that her child was learning far more than ABCs that day. He was learning perseverance, negotiation, and joy in discovery—skills that no worksheet could ever teach.

There are so many practical ways for parents to support the Power of Play. Let me share just a few with you.

First: Make room for unstructured play time. Allow your child moments in the day where they can invent, imagine, and explore without a schedule. I used to empty the silverware tray out on the counter. While I cooked, my boys sorted and matched silverware. Comparing likes and differences of silverware. Simple play but solid learning.

Second: Just Say Yes, to Mess. Remember what you loved to do best when you were growing up. I loved mud pies and dirt cakes. I know that finger paint and fort-building may look like chaotic play, but they are rich soil for learning.

Third: Join the Play. Research shows that when parents WITH and alongside their children, language development and emotional connection deepen. You do not have to lead, just gently follow their imagination.

Fourth: Balance Structured with Freedom. Sports and lessons are valuable, but not more important than what happens to children when they have the time to create their own games, their own way. That is where resilience and independence grow.

A Gentle Reflection

What do you remember from your childhood? I am the middle child of seven and I can tell you; we fought more battles from forts made of sheets and tree limbs, than I can count. Do you remember the day you learned to count? I do not but I remember the day I learned to swing by myself. Do you remember the games you played until streetlights came on? Those games shaped you in ways you may not even realize—teaching cooperation, sparking creativity, and giving you confidence to try.

Of all the thoughts I have shared, giving your child the gift of PLAY is by far the most critical to your child’s heart and brain.

Please, do not let PLAY be an afterthought, but a daily invitation to grow. Because every time your child builds, pretends, chases, tumbles, and laughs, their brain is building the skills they will need to live life well.

Parents, I see you raising those kids so wonderfully. I am proud of you.

Play with them today and you might find you love it as much as I do.