| "Play is to early childhood as gas is to a car." | | | | societal pressures: |
| Kathy Hirsh-Pasek, Ph.D. and Roberta Michnick | | | | - The Best Learning is Learning within Reach. To |
| Golinkoff, Ph.D. | | | | make learning meaningful and authentic, use daily |
| Somewhere in our hectic, frenzied lifestyle, | | | | experiences to stretch children's minds and |
| parents have come to believe that "more is | | | | support their cognitive growth. |
| more." More sports lessons, more flash cards, and | | | | - Emphasizing Process over Product Creates a |
| earlier academic programs. We worry our children | | | | Love of Learning. In other words, how a child |
| won't be able to compete in the global workplace. | | | | learns is just as important as what a child learns. |
| We feel guilty about the lack of time we spend | | | | Make learning fun! Learning in context and through |
| with them. And we are faced with the constant | | | | play will better prepare our children for school. |
| media barrage about "how to raise a smarter | | | | - It's EQ, Not Just IQ. Emotional intelligence and IQ |
| better/more capable child." But after decades of | | | | are both fostered by play. Through make-believe, |
| research, scientists and child development experts | | | | children learn about the world, its roles, and its |
| have come to a clear conclusion: play is the best | | | | rules. They learn to negotiate, deal with their |
| way for children to learn. | | | | emotions, and adapt to changing environments. |
| According to child psychologists Hirsh-Pasek and | | | | Children who play more tend to be happier, and |
| Golinkoff in their enlightening new book "Einstein | | | | happier children tend to relate to their peers |
| Never Used Flash Cards," (St. Martin's Press, | | | | better, and that, in turn, helps them do better in |
| 2003), our parental panic has created four | | | | school! |
| unhealthy myths: | | | | - Learning in Context is Real Learning - and Play is |
| - Faster is Better. We are so busy trying to | | | | the Best Teacher. Play is where you get to |
| balance raising children with our careers and other | | | | practice living but without real-life consequences. |
| responsibilities, we are rushing these children | | | | So instead of pushing preschoolers into |
| through normal childhood activities. | | | | academically oriented programs, emphasize play |
| - Making Every Moment Count. Children are very | | | | instead. Our children's problem solving skills, |
| active learners, developing skills at different rates | | | | attention span, social development and creativity |
| and in different ways than adults. All structure, all | | | | will reap the benefit. As creative and independent |
| the time prohibits play from becoming the vital | | | | thinkers in the 21st century, our children will |
| learning tool it should be. | | | | possess the necessary skills to grow into |
| - Parents Are Omnipotent. At best, parents are | | | | successful, productive adults. Playhouses are ideal |
| guides, accompanying their children through a | | | | for children to expand their imagination and |
| complex maze. | | | | creativity. |
| - Children Are Empty Vessels. Children have an | | | | Lilliput Playhomes designs and manufactures |
| innate curiosity in the world around them. They | | | | children's playhouses, play furniture and luxury dog |
| are hungry to explore, learn, and express | | | | houses and has been featured on the Oprah |
| themselves. A bored child is merely one who has | | | | Winfrey TV Show. View our line of luxury |
| not learned how to be creative. | | | | children's playhouses at and request a free |
| Fortunately, Hirsh-Pasek and Golinkoff offer some | | | | catalog. |
| principles to help parents resist the fear, guilt, and | | | | |