Babies play to learn, and in the early months, they’re constantly learning. But babies can be fickle, too—today’s favorite toy may be adamantly rejected tomorrow.

Children learn more through ‘guided play’ than from teacher-led instruction, according to a new study by experts at Cambridge University. A play-focused approach to learning, where children are ...

When Arthur offers to watch Baby Kate so his parents can relax, he finds out that taking care of a baby isn’t easy — especially with D.W. around! But as he takes care of his baby sister, he learns ...

Newborn babies can be tricky to figure out, especially for first-time parents. Despite the abundance of unsolicited advice proffered by anyone who ever had a baby before — and many who haven’t — most ...

The transition from preschool to school is a big deal for many children and parents. Over the next few weeks, many preschoolers will take part in a transition program, designed by their teachers, to ...

Many early childhood education advocates believe that play-based learning can be an effective tool in building independence and life skills among young children. A 2022 review of nearly 40 studies ...

Kindergarten students play in a classroom in Washington state. Experts and researchers are calling for more play for young children to boost academic and interpersonal skills. Credit: Jackie Mader/The ...

One of my earliest posts here concerned the definition of play, which I developed further in an article on “Definitions of Play” for Scholarpedia (Gray, 2013) and in my book Free to Learn. I first ...

Many parents have heard the warning: Don’t use baby talk with babies and toddlers. Instead, caregivers are often encouraged to speak properly and use adultlike language, out of concern that simplified ...

A third grade student sets the last domino down in a row along the edge of a table while playing in Crystal O’Brien’s classroom at Shidler Elementary School in Oklahoma City. Credit: Ariel ...