Importance of Play

Today the current educational trend is to emphasize standardized testing and the preparation needed to ready children for these tests. This work has filtered all the way down to what are being called Pressure-cooker Kindergartens. At Woodside School we believe that a child’s work is play. Play in an enjoyable, voluntary, purposeful and spontaneously chosen activity. It is often creative, involving critical thinking and problem solving skills. Play is linked to growth in memory, self regulation (self-control), oral language and symbol recognition. Play also contributes to the development of literacy skills and academic capabilities in other areas such as math and scientific inquiry. Every decision about our daily routine and activities is made thoughtfully, with specific purpose and a focus on play based, developmentally appropriate learning objectives. Extensive information regarding curriculum is available in our resource room. We are also working on NAEYC Classroom Portfolio's that document all the learning opportunities available to children each day at Woodside School. Your children are learning so much every day!