Page 14 - FIS World May 2019

No Day Like Play
Day
The benefits of unstructured play
Taking advantage of an obstacle course in the PS gym, one of the many activities on offer during the recent Global School Play Day
On this particular spring morning in Lea Karr’s Primary School class, groups of her five- and six-year old students are given a choice of activities
— painting, constructing, decorating, creating — to do together after deciding on a common goal.
One small group decides to decorate the wall with eggs, flowers, grass, and baskets.“We should put the grass down here, but make sure none of the wall is showing,”says one Grade 1 boy.“Then I think we can put this paper here to make a ledge.” His classmate looks over at him, a bit confused. “No, I don’t think it will work that way,” she says. “It won’t hold anything.”
He looks at her, the paper, the wall, and realizes she might be right. “But we could put this egg there in- stead,” she says.
This is play. And it’s the work of children. Whether it’s blocks, dolls, dirt, or a slide, children will make every attempt to turn anything and everything into a play moment. And it is through play – especially with oth- ers – that children learn to be social, communicate, manage time, research, and think.
“Children learn so many important ideas, facts, and principles that they transfer into other areas of
12 FIS World May 2019