Play is a catalyst for learning at any age.

1. Play is a catalyst for learning at any age. The science of play is validating what gifted educators such as Alice Meckley, Ph.D., Vivian Paley, SharnaOlfman and Kathy Hirsch-Pasek have long been practicing and advocating. When students have fun at learning, they continue to pursue it for its own sake. It is how nature assured us how to learn about the world and our places in it. At any age, play acts to retain and enhance meaningful context, and optimizes the learning process. All gifted parents, master teachers, and wise executives know this.

2. Ironically, preschools are becoming more school-like in an attempt to prepare children for the self-regulatory expectations of school when research shows that play during the years before school is effective in developing the self-regulatory capacities of preschool children. But a qualifier must be added to this conclusion on self-regulation: Only mature socio-dramatic play supported by trained teachers is effective. Sue Brendekamp

3. Perhaps not surprising, research supports a strong relationship between socio dramatic play and social competence (Fromberg, 1999). Congruent with the findings on self-regulation, during pretend play, social behavior among preschoolers is more mature, cooperative, and reciprocal, and children remain engaged longer than in other classroom situations (Connolly & Doyle, 1984; Connolly, Doyle, & Reznick, 1988). Children who engage in socio-dramatic play are better able to take the perspective of others and are seen as more intellectually and socially competent by their teachers (Burns & Brainerd, 1979; Connolly & Doyle, 1984

4. Play allows us to develop alternatives to violence and despair; it helps us learn perseverance and gain optimism. Stuart Brown MDContemporary American psychiatrist

5. Play is a doorway to learning. Play stimulates our imaginations, helping us adapt and solve problems. Play arouses curiosity, which leads to discovery and creativity. The components of play - curiosity, discovery, novelty, risk-taking, trial and error, pretense, games, social etiquette, and other increasingly complex adaptive activities - are the same as the components of learning. http://www.helpguide.org/life/creative_play_fun_games.htm

6. Experts agree that unstructured play time is important for children, for example to help develop problem solving skills and empathy. In fact the American Academy of Pediatrics says that "undirected play" helps children develop skills including negotiating and conflict resolutions skills as well as sharing ability.Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/3186690