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The Power of Play touches on the struggles parents face today. With so many opportunities for kids to learn and develop, and the focus on being the best and the brightest, kids can be left with little time for good old-fashioned play. With video games, movies, and more channels than kids know what to do with, play is often replaced with entertainment. The question in all of this inevitably is, at what cost to the child?
Reaffirming the value of play, The Power of Play outlines what types of play children of different ages engage in, how their developmental stages impact play, and how products are often marketed to the emotions of both child and parent as opposed to being a developmental match to the child.
One of the key messages of the book is the vast amount of learning that comes from unstructured play and discovery. This is a valuable lesson that will impact how many view their child’s time. Rather than rushing a child, fearing idle time as wasted time, in the struggle to ensure our children are getting the best opportunities to be the best they can be, we can take comfort that they are learning and developing in their self-determined play.
The Power of Play builds a strong understanding of the types of unstructured play children engage in and the developmental benefits of each. With strong pressure on parents to give their children the best opportunities and the latest gadgets, coupled with increased (and often misleading) marketing pressure aimed at both children and parents, information is powerful ammunition. This book is a valuable addition to parenting bookshelves, if only to help remind us that unstructured play can be more powerful than additional extracurricular lessons, video’s and games aimed at creating geniuses, and trying to teach lessons little minds do not have the capacity to learn yet.
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The Power of Play: How Spontaneous, Imaginative Activities Lead to Happier, Healthier Children