Here are some quotes about the benefits of play and its contributions to children's learning.
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"Do not....keep children to their studies by complusion but by play."
Plato
Greek Philosopher, 427-347 B.C.
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"Almost all creavity involves purposeful play."
Abraham Maslow, psychologist
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"Play is our brain's favorite way of learning."
Diane Ackerman, Author of The Zookeeper's Wife
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We have purposeful play in piano class. Each game song contains a very specific music concept to read. The children's first experience with the new music is aural learning. Singing games internalize the music for the children as they all have a turn playing the game, thus hearing it several times.
Reading the music comes afterwards. Students are quick to hear if they play a wrong note. "Oh, that's not how the song goes." They can usually correct their own mistake.
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Children love to play. Whenever I say, "We have a new song in our piano book today", the first response is, "Oh good, a new game!" I feel just like them. I love teaching these game songs.
I agree with Diane Ackerman: "Play is our brain's favorite way of learning."
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