Surprisingly Serious Stuff

Play is often talked about as if it were a relief from serious learning, but for children play IS serious learning….

I love watching children at play.  They have such amazing imaginations.  They mimic adults but seem to cut through the crap until they’ve reached the truth inside.  Play is so important to a child’s growth.  It’s where they do the bulk of their learning.  We often forget that and see it as something to do when they aren’t doing the important stuff,  but it is, in fact, the MOST important stuff they can do.  It’s imperative to their progression. It’s how they make sense of the world.

A while ago, my great, great niece (now I feel old) and I had a few hours to  play, so we decided on dress ups and did some photos.  I was amazed at how easily she was able to mimic every emotion I suggested to her with such enthusiasm, I couldn’t stop laughing at some of the responses.  It was so much fun and here’s a kid with a good understanding of the world.

This is the result of “surprised”.  Maybe one day I’ll write the book to match the image.