Play's the Thing

Because unsupervised free play is nature's way of teaching us the skills we need as adults - the skills of cooperation, making and enforcing rules, compromise, negotiating conflicts, accepting defeat, children have been dependent on others to regulate them. More and more they have become "e;other directed."e; It is no surprise then that during the days of self-quarantine, when schools, playgrounds and other recreational activities were shut down, children were subject to the emotional stresses of having to find their own way. Their self-direction having had little chance of development failed them when they needed it most. This is a book for teachers and parents as well who seek to develop such self-directed, "e;can-do"e; children.