Valuing children's imagination and need to play
I have been reading the book
What's the Hurry? Reclaiming childhood in an overscheduled world by Kathy Walker an Australian educationalist.
"Creating a world for children that treasures childhood and what it means to be a child, is something our Western world seems to have moved away from. Often with the best intentions, in wanting only what is best for our children, we have shifted significantly from valuing children's imaginations, playtime, creativity, exploration and time at home or the park with family and friends. Often the sophisticated or intellectual sounding programs now available to children, move us further away from valuing the time we can spend with children and the time they can spend discovering and playing themselves."
The message for those of us doing Discovery Time is to value the time our children spend playing. They don't always need elaborate equipment. Go back to the old favourites: knuckle bones, pick up sticks, large cardboard boxes, sheets, bubbles, obstacle courses, musical instruments, (haul them out of the cupboard!) dress ups, finger painting, digging the garden... and best of all, time to talk, listen, explore ideas and share them with others. Have Fun!
Posted by Brenda on 24th August, 2010 | Comments | Trackbacks
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