October 19, 2012
I Think I Can... I Think I Can... I Think I Can.
-The Little Engine that Could
"Watch children at
play and you might suddenly realize that they are not just frivolously
wasting time or mucking about," notes Paul Bailey in his book, Think of an Elephant
(London: Watkins Publishing, 2007). "Child's play is deep learning: a
self-directed state of deep connectedness and personal engagement. It
is also an enthusiastic and absorbing state of relaxed attention —
healthy qualities often missing from adult life. Play is a creative
learning exchange between mind, body, and circumstance into one
integrated and healthy whole. Awash with symbols and mental imagery,
children at play are learning in a way that can be wildly creative,
insightful, and visionary....-The Little Engine that Could
"Research shows that the more animals play, the bigger their brains grow. Moreover, brain imaging techniques show that social play seems to rewire our brain, increasing the activity of connections between our brain cells. Play also helps develop our logical reasoning, our ability to learn, and our behavioural flexibility."
