Small Talk By: Mitzi Nelson, M.S., CCC-SLP
“Play gives children a chance to practice what they are learning.”-Mr. Rogers Fred Rogers understood children. He understood child development. He understood the importance of play. “Play is often talked about as if it were a relief from serious learning. But for children play is serious learning. Play is really the work of childhood.” Let the words of Fred Rogers engulf you. For children, play is not a luxury, it is a necessity. Play is so important for a child’s social, emotional, language and cognitive skills, that pediatricians are being urged to write prescriptions for play.
6 | March 2019 GunterMag.com
“We’re recommending that doctors write a prescription for play, because it’s so important,” said pediatrician Michael Yogman, MD, FAAP, who was one of five lead authors on a recent report published by the American Academy of Pediatrics titled “The Power of Play: A Pediatric Role in Enhancing Development in Young Children”. Children learn faster through play than any other teaching method. According to Dr. Karyn Purvis, “Scientists have recently discovered that it takes approximately 400 repetitions to create a new synapse in the brainunless it is done in play, in which case, it takes between 10-20 repetitions.” Caution though, not all play is created equal. The rise in popularity of hand-held devices, gaming systems, and cell phones runs parallel with the decline of pretend play and childhood outdoor explorations. While technology and video games can be an appropriate form of play in moderation for older children, one of the most crucial forms of play for toddlers, preschoolers, and early elementary children is unstructured pretend play. Discover the magic that appears in constructing and defending an unconquerable fort made from sheets and chairs. Set sail on the mighty Mississippi River in the grandest of ships aka a laundry basket. Adopt a beloved pet from the fantasy pet shop of stuffed animals. There is beauty and simplicity in the imagination of pretend play. So, follow the doctor’s orders and go saddle your unicorn!
