Young Children Priority One

Julie Beebe

The National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) sets aside one week each year as the "Week of the Young Child." This year's theme is "Early Years are Learning Years." You might not really think of young children as learners in the sense of book learning, but young children are learning through each activity in which they participate. Think back to when you were very young and what you did before you even went to school or when school was out. I have memories of playing outside almost all of the time. My brothers and I and some neighborhood friends would play Hide and Seek or Capture the Flag. We would take sheets and blankets and make tents to play in. Being the only girl with three brothers, I loved playing with Matchbox cars. We would make roads in the dirt of the flowerbeds. The times when we were not outside, Monopoly was the game that dominated in our home. Believe it or not, through all that play I was learning. I was learning strategy playing capture the flag and Monopoly. You had to think a few steps ahead to be able to buy Park Place or find several places to run and hide to cross into the other team's territory. Many times, we had to learn negotiation when someone's actions did not mesh with what we thought was fair. Those times I played Barbie's with my girlfriends were rich with language. We play acted with the dolls, where were they going? Which other dolls would they meet? Then there were the times we put on shows. Talk about leadership skills! Someone had to be the director. Who was going to sing what song? Did we create a script and act it out? Building forts and even Hot Wheels tracks took measuring and geometry skills. Shelley Butler in her article Learning Through Play (www.earlychildhoodnews.com) says, "Most importantly, value play! Notice and comment on children's healthy play to show that you recognize the importance and meaning of play in their lives. When children have this kind of support, the benefits include gaining confidence as well as self-esteem, building relationships, problem-solving, conflict resolution, expanding language, understanding rules and limits, discovering talents, sparking creativity, inspiring thinking, defining personality, and sorting out likes and dislikes. In fact, healthy, valuable play touches on every area of a child's development." So, unplug your child and yourself, and go out and play!