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Kids Learn at Recess!
How Children Learn Through Play
By Mark Stackpole
"The activity incorporated so many curriculum aspects, including math, science, art, drama, dance, literature and more," Polland says. "It proved to be a lot more exciting for the children, and for me, than worksheets or a learning unit."
Sakura Ozaki of Cold Spring, N.Y., is a former teacher and current stay-at-home mom to two young daughters. "I cannot honestly say that I consciously try to mix play and learning because learning is, after all, fun by nature," she says. "I believe that as parents, nurturing the love of learning at a young age is the best thing we can do to prepare our kids for a lifetime of learning."
Ozaki and her daughters often play with animal cards and puzzles. At first, it was just to look at the pictures. After a while, it became about naming the animals. "Later on, we would go through the same set of cards and ask questions about their habitats and nature," she says. Whe the girls were ready, the questions became more involved, introducing them to bigger words and concepts.
