The Research
"Play is the work of the children." -Jean Piaget
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During our careers we have always advocated for more play in the classrooms and districts that we worked. If you ask any educator, they tell you, children need more social interactions with their peers in less structured environments. They need to be allowed to explore, plan, make mistakes, and try again! When we watch children engage in play we learn so much about how they are processing the world around them. Play is at the center of our classes. Below, please find a list of growing books, links to articles, and resources worth checking out if you are interested in learning about play and early literacy instruction. ​​
The Anxious Generation: How the Great Rewiring of Childhood is Causing an Epidemic of Mental Illness by Jonathan Haidt
Saving Play: Addressing Standards Through Play-Based Learning In Preschool and Kindergarten by Thomas Rendon & Gaye Gronlund
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Ted talk: The Decline of Play with Peter Gray
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bg-GEzM7iTk
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The Importance of Sensory Play
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