How do you feel about play? What do we even mean by the word 'play'? What is the importance of play?
Play has taken on a frivolous meaning over time. 'He's just playing...', we say, as if it's of no significance. And yet, many researchers in the fields of education, neuro-science and, indeed, play itself, are extolling its many virtues and, more importantly, what happens when it doesn't happen.
Read MoreI've never actually been asked those questions, but they would be valid. Yes, I would like you to sit peacefully and relax during the class, paying attention to your child. What can he already do? Depending on his stage of development, he may have learned to crawl or sit independently, perhaps he's concentrating on rolling. When we take the time to look, it's amazing what he can already do.
Read MoreIn more than ten years of running parent-child groups, I've seen many wonderful moments of play and interaction between very young children and between the children and their parents. The Playthings in the room have always been beautiful to the eye - it was a Steiner-Waldorf setting so very little was synthetic or brightly coloured and that appealed to me. Then, about six years ago, I was introduced to the work of the Hungarian Paediatrician, Dr Emmi Pikler, and my outlook changed. I began to understand infants and toddlers in a refreshingly new way - from their gross and fine motor development to their amazing competence and ability to communicate long before recognisable language has begun. I learned to acknowledge the very young child as a whole human being, worthy of respect, empathy and autonomy.
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