The importance of play: why childhood needs time to explore
Play is far more than a break from learning. Kate Martin, Head of Sedbergh Prep School, reflects on how imagination, exploration and time outdoors help children develop confidence, curiosity and the skills they need for the future.
Earlier this week, I stopped for a few minutes to watch some of our youngest children playing outside. Charlie the Tractor, a familiar feature of our outdoor play area, had undergone something of a transformation. On this particular afternoon Charlie was no longer a tractor but a rocket, and the children were preparing for a rather important mission to the moon.
Apparently, the people living there had run out of air tanks and needed rescuing. There was a wonderful sense of urgency as the children organised themselves, discussed what needed to happen and prepared for their journey. Everyone had a role to play and, importantly, everyone seemed to understand exactly what they were trying to achieve.
I stood watching for a while, rather reluctant to interrupt. What struck me was not simply the creativity of their imaginary world, but the extraordinary sense of purpose with which they approached it. They were completely absorbed. There were no screens, no adult instructions and certainly no suggestion that anyone was bored. Just a group of happy, healthy children, enjoying the outdoors and entirely present in the moment.
It was a lovely reminder of something we can sometimes overlook in education: the importance of play.
“For children, play is serious learning.”
Fred Rogers, the American educator and television presenter, once observed this wonderfully simple idea, and it captures something fundamental about childhood.
Play as learning
Through play, children make sense of the world around them. They negotiate, experiment, solve problems and learn to understand the perspectives of others. Sometimes they lead and sometimes they follow. They discover that their ideas might not always be accepted and that working together often produces something far more interesting than anything they could have imagined alone.
Watching our young astronauts, I could see so much of this happening naturally. They were communicating, making decisions and adapting their plans as their imaginary adventure unfolded. Nobody had set them a learning objective, yet the learning taking place was considerable.
Childhood is not simply a preparation for adulthood. It is a valuable and important stage of life in its own right.
Making space for childhood
As children grow older, the nature of play inevitably changes. The imaginative adventures of our youngest pupils gradually give way to different forms of exploration, whether through sport, music, outdoor challenges or simply spending time with friends. The need for opportunities to be creative, to take risks and to enjoy themselves, however, does not disappear.
I sometimes wonder whether, in our understandable desire to prepare children for the future, we risk overlooking the importance of allowing them to enjoy the present. Childhood is not simply a preparation for adulthood. It is a valuable and important stage of life in its own right, and one that passes remarkably quickly.
This is particularly relevant in a world where technology plays such a significant role in children’s lives. Digital skills are undoubtedly important, and we have a responsibility to ensure our pupils develop them. Equally, we must recognise the value of time spent away from screens, particularly outdoors, where children can move freely, explore their surroundings and create their own entertainment.
Play and academic ambition
None of this diminishes the importance of academic ambition. We want our children to achieve excellent outcomes, to develop strong foundations in their learning and to be exceptionally well prepared for Senior School. But I firmly believe that these ambitions sit very comfortably alongside a childhood rich in play and adventure. Indeed, the confidence and curiosity developed through play can make children more willing to embrace the challenges they encounter in the classroom.
We want children to develop the maturity and skills they need for the future without feeling that they must rush through childhood to get there.
Remaining younger for longer
One of the phrases we often use at Sedbergh Prep is that we want children to remain younger for longer. By this, we do not mean holding them back or limiting their independence. Quite the opposite. We want them to develop the maturity and skills they need for the future without feeling that they must rush through childhood to get there.
I have thought about those young astronauts several times since watching them. I suspect that, by the following day, Charlie may well have become something entirely different. That is part of the joy of it.
For a little while, however, he was a rocket, there were people on the moon who needed saving and a group of children who were absolutely determined to help.
What a wonderful way to learn.