Play is more important than study. Kids like it when I say this--parents less so.
Contrary to what we’ve been taught, being playful is a more sophisticated process than memorization. Study is very focused. It is a cognitive process that gets our wheels turning and it can be very useful throughout our life. But play is a broader interplay. It is a metaphorical process that opens up possibility beyond the realm of correct and incorrect. It involves the creative mind, as well as the cognitive mind. It also includes the enormous world of emotion and a nice dash of “spirit.” Learning through play is more effective than learning through study. Our whole being is in the mix when we play with ideas—and there is no judgment to get in the way.
Play allows us to entertain and transcend differences that might otherwise cause us to argue. If done without hidden blame or sarcasm, play opens up dialogue. Master educators create lessons that are playful, knowing that what is taught will not only be received, it will be retained.
"In every man lives a child that wants to play." Friedrick Neitzsche
www.educationforyourlife.org/blog
