“Play is our brain’s favorite way of learning.” -Diane Ackerman
As a therapist, this resonates with me. We are constantly on a journey to help our little miracles fulfill very big dreams and it's important for us to remember that play is what provides children with a strong platform to practice what they are learning. It is the basis of what many of us do – teach skills through play.
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Here we have one of our little superstars exploring his world through play. It may not look like much but here he is learning how to tolerate different textures/substances in his environment. He is practicing non-verbal forms of communication (He is on his way to talking, but not there yet!) and learning to engage in play with others. He is following instructions, practicing new gross motor movements and strengthening muscles in his hands, legs and core.
Little "A" has been diagnosed with Cerebral Palsy and hydrocephalus. He was previously unable to walk and was struggling to process stimuli from his environment. Through play, he has overcome many obstacles.
In this session, we celebrated several wins.
He: 1. Kicked a ball to someone 2. Rolled and caught a ball 3. Interacted with strange/new textures successfully 4. Said a word for the first time - even if it was a "no"! 5. Imitated several movements and tasks demonstrated by the therapist 6. Used non-verbal forms of communication to engage and get to what he needed.
So, next time someone accuses you of spending too much time playing, show them this little miracle and play on!
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