Play Shapes Human Brains
“Play is the work of childhood, and all young mammals have the same job: Wire up your brain by playing vigorously and often”. (pg. 51)
As I read through Haidt’s book, The Anxious Generation, quotes, facts, and research hit me from every page. (In fact, I apologize for how quote-heavy this post is). It actually took me forever to read it. One, because I started it as an Audiobook, and then realized this was the kind of book I needed to highlight, write in, and dog-ear. Two, because it felt like every second page had vital information regarding my work with children. Many of these things I already knew from working with kids for twenty years, but it was very validating to see current research numbers solidifying my experience-gained knowledge. One example is as follows:
“Intriguingly, a child’s brain is already 90% of its full size by around age 5. When Homo sapiens emerged, its children were big-brained small-bodied weaklings who ran around the forest practically begging predators to eat them. Why did we evolve to have this long and risky childhood? …Our brains grew larger because the race for survival was won no longer by the fastest or strongest, but by those most adept at learning. …Human childhood extended to give children time to learn.” (pgs. 50-51)
I have even considered moving to Finland, as Kindergarten starts later in life, and is very play-based. Then I realized that it would make more sense to bring Finnish wisdom to Canada, so that even more children can benefit. Giving children the time and space to play is an essential part of preparing them for the rest of their lives.
“As children seek out experiences and practice a range of skills, the neurons and synapses that are used infrequently fade away, while frequent connections solidify and quicken.” (pg. 51)
Allowing them free play lets them take risks, test ideas, and plan… and then learn that they are in fact very capable of both doing these things, and handling it well when things don’t go the way they’ve planned. This is an essential skill that will help them be successful for the rest of their lives, and is generally referred to as resilience.
“Children need a great deal of free play to thrive. It’s an imperative that’s evident across all mammal species. The small-scale challenges and setbacks that happen during play are like an inoculation that prepares children to face much larger challenges later.” (pg. 7)
Humans may be unique in possessing executive functioning skills, but they are not unique when it comes to learning through play. Kittens, puppies, otter pups, and kangaroo joeys all play to learn.
Not only is play an important (and fun!) mammalian trait, it is an extremely effective one! Many experts know this, including Dr. Karyn Purvis, a prominent American developmental psychologist. She is quoted saying: “Scientists have recently determined that it takes approximately 400 repetitions to create a new synapse in the brain- unless it is done with play, in which case, it takes between 10-20 repetitions.” What an extreme difference! That means that a child will learn a new skill 40-20 times faster than in any other context.
So, while we aren’t a licensed daycare, we can offer a safe space for the children of Vancouver to drop in and play. Be it random date night care, last-minute weekend care, or regular weekday support, we can help you in creating a childcare system that works for you and your family, while also emphasizing the value that free imaginative play has on your childrens’ development.
