play good for kindergarten brains

Dr. Gordon Neufeld rocks my world.

Well, he is a local boy - he is based at UBC in Vancouver, BC.  We like our local boys on the Wet Coast.


He is an involved father and grandfather.  And husband.


He co-authored the book Hold Onto Your Kids: Why Parents Matter (currently in the pile of books beside my bed).  

                                   

He is an engaging public speaker.

And he advocates for play in kindergarten.

in a boat - going somewhere ....

He says:  Play helps children build problem solving networks. At four, five, even six, children are not ready to learn by working because the prefrontal cortex, the part of the brain where a child is capable of mixed feelings, is still under construction.  

When asked what "play" is,  Dr. Neufeld defines it as "not work".

Play is expressive and not "for real". There are no consequences to messing up and the child is playing for the joy of the activity, not because of the outcome... Only playing for fun is really playing.

Full article in the Ottawa Citizen.

Play is the right learning tool for the kindergarten brain.  You rock, Dr. Neufeld.