Babies and children look at the world with wide eyes that seem to soak in multiple experiences all at once...Mom washing dishes, brother playing with a train set, tree leaves moving in the wind. As grown-ups we tend to want to focus on learning about just one thing, before moving on to a new idea. Our bodies and our brains aren't as flexible as they were when we were very young. So next time your child takes all the mixing bowls or Tupperware out of the cabinet, don't try to clean up the mess too fast. Remember this multi-sensory play time is valuable learning time too.
"The learning that babies and young children do on their own, when they carefully watch an unexpected outcome and draw new conclusions from it, ceaselessly manipulate a new toy or imagine different ways that the world might be, is very different from schoolwork. Babies and young children can learn about the world around them through all sorts of real-world objects and safe replicas, from dolls to cardboard boxes to mixing bowls, and even toy cellphones and computers. Babies can learn a great deal just by exploring the ways bowls fit together or by imitating a parent talking on the phone. (Imagine how much money we can save on “enriching” toys and DVDs!)"
via www.nytimes.com
