Pretend play is important to childhood. While many children are being glued to desks as young as three now, others are protecting childhood by letting children do what they do, naturally learn by play and imitation. Sitting still in one spot for hours with no creativity or room for expression is not normal and I am at a loss as to how anyone thinks it can be healthy. Of course not all schools are like this but the trend is alarming and the friends I have who are teachers are not liking it either.
Does that look right to you? Kids need time to be creative!
We love natural toys when ever possible, my husband and I found this little wooden house in a little shop in Salem Massachusetts. All of our children love it and it is a very sturdy toy I am betting will last many years, maybe even last long enough for grand babies to play with it.
The picture below is of my 3.5 year old daughter. I found her alone in a room playing quietly. Pretend playing with little gnomes and fairies, animals and cars. She was so busy in her make believe works she didn’t catch me taking pictures of her! (Else I would have gotten nothing but silly faces! LOL)
Yes we homeschool, yes we even have activities for our 3.5 year old along the pre-k lines. However her main job is manners and play! Children need free to time to figure out what they love, what inspires them, and what talents they want to work on.
“Everybody is a genius. But if you judge a fish by its ability to climb a tree, it will live its whole life believing that it is stupid.” – Albert Einstein
I agree 100% and am a bit extreme about not forcing learning too early with my kids. We play, we do art, we craft, we explore – but I do not want them stuck in a desk being drones and having their imagination and joy for life sucked out of them.
Absolutely love the comic and the Einstein quote!