oung mammals of essentially all species play.In play, they develop fit bodies,they practice physical skillsthat are crucial to their survival,and they also practice social and emotional skills.By playing together,they learn to cooperate with one another,they learn to be in close vicinity with one anotherwithout losing their tempers— it’s very important for social animals to develop.In risky play, they learn to take risksto experience fear without loosing their heads — a lesson that can save their livesin the course of a real emergency. (View Highlight)
everything we know about playtells us that these are the effects we would expectif children are deprived of play.They are analogous to the effects we see in animalswhen we take play away from animals.Play is where children learn that they are in control of their life,it’s really the only place they are in control of their own life. When we take that away,we don’t give them the chance to learn how to control their own life.Play is where they learn to solve their own problemsand learn therefore that the world is not so scary after all.Play is where they experience joyand they learn the world is not so depressing after all.Play is where they learn to get along with peersand see from others’ points of view,and practice empathy, and get over narcissism.Play is by definition creative and innovative. (View Highlight)