Why Play?

Play is essential to a child's cognitive, physical, social and emotional well-being.

Play encourages creativity – and is tied more to success later in life than IQ.

When we play – whether it's a physical activity or playing sports, painting or drawing, building blocks or simply laughing with others – it reinforces patterns in your brain, optimizing the learning process, and improves your emotional well-being.

Learn more from our Board Member Amanda Larson at

Eye on Keloland

Benefits of Play

Unstructured, open-ended play provides benefits for children that worksheets or screen time can't achieve.

Play helps coordination, balance and motor skills.
Play helps children develop new ideas and creativity, which lead to enhanced confidence and the resiliency to face future challenges.
Play relieves stress, and lets children work through anxiety and fears.
Play lets children make their own decisions, and make connections between choices and natural consequences.