Old-Fashioned Play Builds Serious Skills
during the second half of the 20th cent, play changed radically. Instead of make-believe, children were supplied with ever more specific toys for play and predetermined scripts.In the second half of the 20th cent, parents became increasingly concerned about safety, driven to create play environments that were secure. middle-class parents increasingly worried about achievement
playing make-believe helps children develop a critical cognitive skill: executive function.
ability to self-regulate.
self-regulation is incredibly important.
Poor executive function associated with high dropout rates, drug use and crime.
good executive function is a better predictor of success in school than a child's IQ.
"Self-regulation predicts effective development in virtually every domain."
the more structured the play, the more children's private speech declines.
let's get back to noticing and dreaming... no?
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