Just a Play Away

Kids like what they like...and when we encourage them to pursue their interests, they feel validated and are engaged in the learning process.  Whether what fascinates them is the latest muscle car, the new champion on League of Legends, a Disney princess' fate, or something from amid this array nearly as vast as the number of individuals, we are all students of something.  And when parents and teachers tap into the interests that children bring with them, we can engage them where they are with what they like in the manner they prefer, which results in more children being more wholeheartedly engaged with what's around them.  So what does this look like?  It looks like engaging in play with them.  It looks like asking good questions and then listening to their answers.  It looks like encouraging them to pursue research about and saturation in their topic(s) of choice.  And it looks like supporting them in these pursuits with the resources that you have at your disposal, whether that’s a trip to a field museum, the local library, or a couple minutes of focused time in meaningful conversation.