10/29/2025
LOVE LOVE LOVE THIS! So true.
I’m in a local public school teacher group, and every single day I see posts about kids fighting, tattling, and struggling to resolve conflicts.
Yes, elementary aged students are still learning, but I believe there’s more to it.
Preschools today are heavily geared toward academics, and that’s a huge problem. Somewhere along the line, we decided that three and four-year-olds needed worksheets, assessments, and literacy drills instead of what they actually need: PLAY!
Deep, meaningful play isn’t a waste of time, it’s crucial. Play is where kids learn to regulate their emotions, to take turns, negotiate, and solve conflicts. Those lessons don’t come from flashcards or sitting at tables, and free child-led play is grossly minimal in most preschools today.
So by the time kids get to elementary school, they’re “academically prepared” but socially underdeveloped. They’ve missed those opportunities to work through disagreements in the sandbox, to problem solve during block building, to navigate friendships through pretend play.
Play is learning.
Play is the foundation.
Play is the precursor to academics.
Play prepares kids for elementary school.
Let’s find our way back to play!
