The power of play : why educators must rethink early childhood education

As The United States attempts to compete with high-performing countries like China, the need to make children kindergarten-ready increases. As the preschool curricula become increasingly academic-based, children are losing much needed time for play and socializing. Furthermore, many preschool teachers feel pressure from parents and the rest of society to create a curriculum that is more academic. But educators must take a step back and look at how this shift is affecting the children. Children need play; it is crucial to their development. For centuries, children have learned through play. Play promotes moral, perceptual, physical, cognitive, social, and emotional development