ABSTRACT
David Elkind’s sentiments are shared by many parents, teachers, and child advocates who fear that children’s time for play is becoming endangered, and potentially extinct in many contexts, such as public classrooms. In the example described above, an exchange between mother and child that had the potential for cuddling and emotional connection was reduced to a “teachable moment.” Similar to some features of authentic assessment, play offers children and adults an opportunity to learn and explore.“Play is a process, not a product. We have to learn to trust to the innate wisdom of children and allow them to get on with it . . . play is both doing and becoming. It is in the moment and should be valued as such” (Wilson, 2009, p. 3). While play scenarios may generate products in various forms, those products spring naturally from children’s behavior and imagination, and not from the desire of adults to generate data.
