A parent of a 5-year-old comes in to talk to you about his child's learning in your classroom. "When I watch him with his friends in the neighborhood or at home, all they do is play. They play with those little cars and trucks, build things with Legos, and use a lot of cardboard and tape to make garages. I can see that it's kind of creative, but how is he learning?" Practice what you will say to this parent and to others about the value of play.
I would tell this parent that his child is learning through his play. By playing with blocks and cars, his child is developing hand/eye coordination. His child may also be learning about shapes and properties of blocks. He is also using his imagination. When using tape for his cardboard garages, he may be using some fine motor skills to manipulate the tape. A child's play is extremely valuable. They are constantly learning through play even if it doesn't look like it. Children should always be encouraged to play as they are really learning valuable skills.
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