Play isn’t a break from learning.
It’s the fastest way the brain learns.
Play is critical to healthy brain development. Play is not a distraction from learning. It is the intellectual work of children and the means by which they become thinkers, creators, and members of a democratic society.
If we are to live up to the ideals of public education as a democratic institution, we must recognize the profound importance of play—not just as a pedagogical choice, but as a matter of educational justice, human development, and social progress.
Who We Are
We are an advocacy collective of educators, professors, families, and community members dedicated to protecting play and experiential learning in our public schools.
We call on the New York City Public Schools to:
Support research-confirmed practices that are developmentally appropriate for the globally recognized early childhood years (birth – age 8): Provide prek and kindergarten children with opportunities to experience child-initiated play during the instructional time of each regular school day
Permit teachers to utilize experiential learning and play-based learning during the instructional time of a regular school day for all students in grades one to five.
Provide teachers with the opportunity to adjust instruction and curriculum to be responsive to children’s understandings, questions, interests, languages, and cultures.
Have a question, idea, or resource to share? Reach out today and our team will respond within one business day.
