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Why Do Kids Run and Jump?
March 28, 2008
Gratitude is a powerful catalyst for happiness. It's the spark that lights a fire of joy in your soul.
-Amy Collette

Parents and early educators confront play-related issues every day. They deplore the elimination of recess and playtimes in schools. They complain about childhood obesity or attack play directly: "There are so many toys in here, there's no room for learning." A New York Times Magazine article, "Taking Play Seriously" (February 17, 2008), Robin Maranz Henig describes studies about play and addresses some physical and psychological aspects: "Play can be risky. And, under stress it can disappear. What then would justify, in evolutionary terms, the prevalence of play?"

The author examines animal research relating to human play and considers what play might be good for:

• Play as preparation, as practice for getting ready to be an adult

• Play contributes to the growth and development of the brain itself �" "the growth curve for the cerebellum correlates to the playfulness curve in mammals."

• A play ethos pervades education �" "the reflexive, unexamined belief that play is an unmitigated good with crucial, though vaguely defined, evolutionary function."

Contributed by Edna Ranck




We have bundled together a variety of practical resources on play and are selling them at a discounted package price. Our Play Tool Kit contains the following items:
  • Play: A Beginnings Workshop Book
  • The Power of Play: How spontaneous, imaginative activities lead to happier, healthier children by David Elkind
  • Exchange Article Collection #8 �" Play CD
  • Plus three Out of the Box Training Kits:
    - "Play and the Outdoors"
    - "But They're Only Playing"
    - "Supporting Constructive Play in the Wild"


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Comments (3)

Displaying All 3 Comments
veronica · April 10, 2008
head start
rochester, mn, United States


Children are learning through play, they learn to use thier language/words,take turns, use thier imagination and use thier social skills.

Augustina Frempong · March 31, 2008
The Hub Family Resource Centre
Fort McMurray, Alberta, Canada


I’ve been thinking about the issue of play in ECE recently so thank you for this article. What is the difference between play and work? What are the similarities between the two? And why do adults (including early childhood professionals sometimes refer to play as work particularly as children’s work? Whereas adult work solely to produce an outcome, children do not necessarily play to an end result. Nevertheless, this does not mean play is of a lesser value than work and so there is no need to equate the two. I feel uncomfortable about the use of analogy between play and work because it tends to endorse undue demand for “accountability” for children’s play particularly in early childhood. When faced with demands for “increased productivity, the temptation to “structure” activities in EC programs is also increased often to the detriment of the developing child. The noted characteristics of play such as pressure free, intrinsically motivated, controlled by the players, free from external rules, non-serious, enjoyable, etc appear to have little in common with work whether it is used as a verb or a noun. Paradoxically though, productive work habits have been observed as one of the countless functions and benefits of play to children’s development.

Nina Hoffman · March 29, 2008
Cookie Crumbs Nursery School
Indianapolis, IN, United States


Play is the work of the young child!



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