Encouraging play has never been more critical. We are seeing the impact of over two years of disruption, interruption, and prolonged stress on children’s learning, behaviors, and social-emotional development. Young children have not had the consistent key social experiences that help form their understanding of how the world works and how they and their friends across their playspace work. The lack of in-person interactions, time spent alone, consistent stress and uncertainty, and confusion have taken a toll. Our youngest learners are left struggling to understand their big emotions, and how to navigate everyday social routines.

What can we do to support children in dealing with all of the disruption and stress? How do we change course, help them gain ground, and help them develop the skills they need to learn and navigate their world? Let’s play! For young children, play provides a treasure-trove of learning. It is essential to their being and growth, and is as natural for them as breathing. When we observe a group of children at play, we may not think about it as anything more than having fun. But in reality, there is a whole lot of learning going on. In fact, play gives children the space to process formal instruction, open their brains to creativity, and put everything together using their imagination. Put simply, play is the engine that drives learning, while creativity is the foundation from which learning emerges and grows. Play provides opportunities for children to begin to navigate their world, interact with and understand their friends across their playspace, and learn to understand and express their emotions. Play provides the perfect platform for working through conflicts and problems, and an outlet to let all of that energy loose in a positive way while helping to manage stress. Playtime helps children learn who they are and test their independence and ability to think for themselves. Play also provides opportunities to have important conversations about big feelings and events.