Play is Learning

One of the greatest joys of parenting is watching a little one learning.  Some of those moments stick out in my mind and will last a lifetime--when in the stage of filling and emptying everything in sight, she once ran out of space in the container for the balls in front of her.  You could see her thinking in that moment and then she searched for another container and proudly filled it as well.  When in a highly verbal stage as a three year old, I listened to her put words together and build her vocabulary, using more and more words each day.  And now, as a four year old, I listen and watch as she sits in my lap as she put sounds together to begin to read.  And when you watch, you can see the thinking, the learning.  It's thrilling for us as parents and for me as a teacher!

But learning is broad and she's learning with about everything she does these days.  Whether it's learning balance as she climbs one of the many logs or rocks she decides to take on when we're enjoying the outdoors, or finding little ant hills or bugs to inspect along the way.  With every bit of this, we watch her intently watch the world around her and hear the many questions she asks.  We watch her think her footing through and become more and more sure of herself and her physical abilities.

Sometimes, it's watching her learn as she does one of her many puzzles--how she tries different pieces and turns the pieces different ways and solves them without giving into frustration.  Other times, it's watching as she learns how the colors of paint mix, or how different brushes work. It's riding bikes and scooters for hours, exploring every nook and cranny of a museum's interactive exhibits, and learning to share and compromise as she plays with friends. 

Whatever it might be, we try to engage in as much play as possible--to engage and get energy out, to form happy memories, and to promote that learning.  Events and places around town are always fun to explore--from programs to see animals at local nature centers or farms, to exploring at the Children's or Science Museum...from getting creative at an art studio to exploring different cultures through festivals around the cities...from open gym days with endless running and tumbling to lazy days at the beach building sand castles.



This is the heart of our family--exploring, engaging, learning.  We are so excited to watch as another little one grows, to watch them develop and learn through such experiences.  To watch siblings play and learn together will be another honor that we have yet to experience. 
To the little one who joins our family--we have a whole world to explore, and your big sister is more than ready to show you around!