Why Play?

“Use this book to help educate parents, start a book club, or hand this book to your boss to read. Highly recommend!” —Richard Cohen, consultant, and creator of "Zen and the Art of Early Childhood"

Learn how to use play to start children on the road to success.

In an age when play is often seen as frivolous or unproductive, this book explains the importance of play in early childhood education. Each chapter focuses on a specific type of play, includes suggestions for putting theory into practice, and offers recommendations for language and information educators can use to help parents understand that play is not separate from learning.

Why Play? highlights some of the most popular types of play, such as dramatic, cooperative, construction, and loose-parts play. It also covers those considered controversial, such as rough-and-tumble, war, gun, and superhero play.

Parents and policymakers are receiving a great deal of misinformation, leading them to believe that exposure to early academics—not play—is the best way to start children on the road to success. This book shares why different modes of play are beneficial and how educators can facilitate these different types of play in early childhood settings. Whether used as a tool for advocacy or as a guide on how to use play, Why Play? is for everyone who believes children should have the chance to be children, and that child development should guide all our practices.

Book Features:

• Looks at the importance of play in general and then at many different kinds of play, each addressed in its own chapter.
• Provides ideas and information early childhood educators (pre-K–3) can use to make 12 different types of play a greater part of their program.
• Includes “Partnering with Parents” text boxes to help educators speak to parents about the important role play has in developmentally appropriate practice.

Rae Pica is an early childhood education consultant and internationally known speaker, online course creator, and author. Visit her website at raepica.com.

“Play deprivation in today’s world has caused untold damage to children’s physical and mental development. Here is a wonderful, practical guide to bring all sorts of play into the lives of young children in and out of school. Let Rae Pica empower you to be an effective play advocate and play facilitator.”
—Peter Gray, research professor, Boston College, and author of Free to Learn

“‘Do you try to explain to parents, administrators, coworkers, or policymakers why play should be at the center of all early childhood programs? This book is the compendium you have been waiting for. For every type of play, it contains all the research-based answers and ideas you need, compiled in one place, by world-respected author and thought leader in early childhood education, the great Rae Pica. Teachers: Use this book to help educate parents, start a book club with your team, or hand this book to your boss to read. Highly recommend!”
—Richard Cohen, consultant, keynote speaker, and creator of social media phenomenon "Zen and the Art of Early Childhood"

"Rae Pica—our beloved early childhood guide—has done it again. This time as a plea, a protest, and a call to action to celebrate and advocate for the beauty and importance of children’s play."
—Rusty Keeler, author of Adventures in Risky Play: What is Your Yes?

"Rae Pica has a passion for bringing play back to childhood in homes, in early childhood settings, and in schools. This book is a wonderful resource for those who are seeking to understand the risks of play loss or to increase their confidence in talking to people about bringing play back to children."
—Heather Bernt-Santy, host of the That Early Childhood Nerd podcast

“Asking, 'Why play?' is sort of like asking, 'Why breathe?' or 'Why love?' Rae Pica's gem of a book explains why play is not a break from learning, it is learning at its most intense. More play = better functioning kids (who also happen to be happier). Yay Rae!”
—Lenore Skenazy, president, Let Grow