Old-Fashioned Play Builds Serious Skills

A recent segment on National Public Radio highlighted the benefits of play in children's cognitive and emotional development. According to NPR, having the skills learned through imaginative play is a better predictor of success in school than a child's IQ. Kids lacking these skills have risk factors for dropping out of school and for drug use.

Yale researcher Dorothy Singer states on NPR that "Because of testing, and the emphasis now that you have to really pass these tests, teachers are starting earlier and earlier to drill the kids on their basic fundamentals. Play is viewed as unnecessary, a waste of time." But NPR comes to the conclusion that, perhaps, all that wasted time is not such a waste after all.

To listen to the full story, or read a transcript of the segment, please visit NPR.org.

View All News