Prescription for Play

The Power of Play
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The Power of Play

Pediatricians are encouraged to "prescribe play" to kids at the American Academy of Pediatrics. Play is so important to child development that it has also been recognized by the United Nations High Commission for Human Rights as a right of every child.
Child playing with wooden bolts and screws. Educational Activity.

Builds Better Brains

The benefits of play impact the very functioning of our brains. Specifically, play supports our executive functioning (how we learn). When we learn, we are utilizing our working memory, self-control, and the adaptability of our thinking.

When we play, we are developing greater creativity and problem-solving skills and the ability to focus longer, communicate better, and remember more. Children who actively play every day are building better brains!

Young child coloring.

It also helps Create:

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Founding 50 Campaign

Through the tremendous support of our community, we completed our Founding 50 Campaign, a start-up funding campaign of $150,000.00! The campaign launched in August 2019 and was completed by December 2020.

The Founding 50 is made up of community members who have made one-time gifts of $1,000 (individuals) and $2,000 (businesses). Thank you to all of our Founding 50 members for helping bring educational children's activities to our community.

"Play is the work of childhood."

Jean Piaget

Play is an Antidote for Stress

Playtime even helps lower stress! Research has shown that when we play, we have less of the stress hormone cortisol. The joy we experience while playing helps regulate the body’s responses. This is even the case for long term exposure to stress. Play also promotes agency and a sense of control, which have big roles in reducing stress. When children play, they are getting an antidote for stress!

Stretches Emotional IQ

Play can improve emotional intelligence, too! Playing with others requires giving and taking. We must consider the feelings of our playmates or they won’t keep playing with us! Through play, we learn how to get along with others.

We also learn to process our own emotions. We reenact an experience as a way of leaning into our feelings and sorting them out. We learn what risks we like and don’t like, and we have to regulate our emotions while figuring it all out. Through play, children stretch and strengthen their emotional intelligence muscles!

Sources and Research