The serious need for play

I came across this Scientific American article, The Serious Need for Play, and it made me very happy. The article covers some pretty heavy stuff (how most murderers never played as children), but it also links free play to a number of positives, including creativity and intelligence. So, if play makes us smarter, more sociable and more creative, what are you waiting for? Go out and play!

The original caption: One study found that kids who played with blocks scored higher on language tests than kids who had no blocks. Perhaps the children with blocks simply spent less time on unproductive activities such as watching TV--but the end result was good for them in any case.

And as if the New York Times were reading my mind this morning, here's an article on the necessity of recess.