02/06/2025
I read this recently on a Facebook group I follow (Rooted in Play) and needed to share with all of you. Play really is the work of childhood so let's step back and let them do their jobs.
"Children Don’t Need Us to Teach Them How to Play
Adults love to step in. We organize, guide, and correct—often with the best intentions. But when it comes to play, our presence and interference can do more harm than good.
Children don’t need us to teach them how to play. They are wired for it. Play is instinctive, driven by curiosity and a deep need to explore, create, and connect. What they do need from us is space, time, and trust.
Yet, adults are often the biggest barrier to deep play. We interrupt with instructions, ask too many questions, and unknowingly direct their experience toward outcomes we value. We impose structure when play thrives in freedom. We assume they need guidance when they are perfectly capable of figuring things out.
Instead of teaching play, we should observe it. Step back and watch what unfolds. Provide environments rich with possibilities—loose parts, open space, time without an agenda. Let them get bored and see what they come up with.
A playworker’s role isn’t to lead play but to support it when necessary and know when to disappear. Because when we remove our adult agendas, something remarkable happens: children show us just how capable they really are."
playiseverything
