To: New York State Education Department
Give Young Learners Time to Play.
Please require that young students be allotted an hour a day for meaningful play. Of this time, please require that at least 30 minutes be child-directed (free play.) Please require that all Kindergarten and first-grade classrooms have available blocks, art supplies, and dramatic play materials for children to use during this time.
Thank you.
Thank you.
Why is this important?
Play is a vital part of learning and childhood, but time to play is declining in Kindergarten and elementary classrooms. For example, today's Kindergarten classrooms have fewer sand tables, dramatic play areas, and art supplies than in 1998. More time is spent with worksheets. To support and encourage teachers to include and allow play, we should mandate a minimum amount of play time and playful materials be included in the classroom.