It's Time to PLAY!

Did you notice that the bulbs each of us planted in November are sprouting up around Willard? That was the sign that we would look for. So we now know it's now time to get out to play! We asked some students about the best places to play around Willard. We found that the Willard field is one of the best places to play in Willard neighborhood.

Image: Vlado / FreeDigitalPhotos.net


As we work on being our healthiest, we find that healthy environments are important too. We are sure to recycle and compost our waste here at school. Getting out to play with nature is also a great way to strengthen ourselves and our environment. There are studies that explore the benefits of unstructured playtime. This recent article highlights some of the ideas: http://chronicle.com/article/The-Case-for-Play/126382/


A quote from the article:
"...according to researchers, not just because play reduces stress and makes children more socially competent—which evidence suggests that it does. It matters also because play supposedly improves working memory and self-regulation; in other words, it makes kids sharper and better-behaved."


We have also noticed that the Children and Nature Network support some great initiatives to remind us to get outside: http://www.childrenandnature.org/

You might also just know it in your bones... playtime is the best time, and some of the best lessons happen once you were turned out from dawn to dusk, playing in your neighborhood.


So how do you play? Don't just sit there, go for it!


Be well!