It is easy to underestimate the value of play. As adults, our “play” takes place during leisure time and we see it as fun and lighthearted. We regard it as recreational, with no practical purpose, other than unwinding, having fun, or spending time with friends. It nurtures us, but we don’t regard it as serious. Since it has this lightness for us, we often find it hard to appreciate that play has an enormously important role in the lives of children.
Play is the natural . . .