Play is one of the most important ways to help young children grow, and yet it is often dismissed as unimportant or unnecessary. Here are some things we have learned about play:
Play is…
Self-Motivated: Children engage in play because they want to, not for a reward. The activity itself is satisfying.
Freely Chosen: The child chooses how to begin, continue, and end the activity. Even in a classroom, play provides a sense of autonomy.
Enjoyable and Pleasurable: Play includes joy, amusement, interest, or a sense of discovery. It can involve challenges, but play is still positive or engaging.
Process-Oriented (Not Product-Oriented): The experience matters more than the outcome. The goal isn’t to produce something “correct” or achieve an adult-decided result.
Active: Children at play are mentally alert and engaged, but not stressed, and are often physically active as well.
Structured or Imaginative: Sometimes play has structure or rules decided by the players, and sometimes it is open-ended. Play can also be imaginative, silly, and non-serious.
Play thrives when adults provide time, space, materials, and emotional safety—and then step back to let the child take the lead.
Why Play?
· Play builds the brain, strengthens emotional control, develops social skills and lays the groundwork for physical health.
· Play is the essential way young children learn and develop during the critical ages of birth to 5 years.
· Play is a safe space for experimenting and risk-taking. Children test abilities, emotions, ideas, and social roles without real-world consequences. It’s a laboratory for skill development.
· Play at any age offers stress relief, connection with others, and more life satisfaction.
What Kills Play?
·
Over-scheduling; too many adult-led activities
Frequent interruptions or instructions
Over-praising outcomes (“You made it perfect!”)
Substituting screen-time for play
ECC’s Let’s PLAY QR Code Project makes early learning visible and actionable by turning the entire community of Stillwater into a learning environment. Visit the Let’s PLAY page and watch for signs downtown and in Stillwater Parks.