The Power of Play; A Pediatric Perspective

LUDICS

Speaker: Michael W Yogman MD, Assistant Professor of Pediatrics, Harvard Medical School, retired; Board Chair: Playful Learning Landscape

Summary of talk : 1. Cultural shifts limit opportunities for children to play 2. Play is intrinsically motivated and leads to active engagement and joyful discovery 3. Play with caregivers, peers, and teachers is brain building; it enhances brain structure and function 4. Playful learning is a fundamental part of healthy development, and is crucial for 21st century skills such as executive function, collaboration and innovation 5. Play helps build the safe, sensitive nurturing relationships with caregivers and teachers that mitigate toxic stress, promote resilience, enhance skills such as EF, agency , self confidence and ultimately promote literacy and numeracy 6. Preschool curricula facilitate learning through playful learning not just didactic instruction.

This Seminar is co-sponsored by the Youth Mentorship Forum on Civic Innovation of Citizen TALES Commons.