TED Talks Daily How play helps a kid's brain grow | Jesse Ilhardt
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Dec 23, 2022 
Jesse Ilhardt, an early-education leader and advocate for play, discusses the transformative power of play in children's brain development. He emphasizes that just a little playtime can yield substantial benefits, akin to a superfood for young minds. Ilhardt highlights the importance of adult involvement, urging parents to engage in imaginative play, which strengthens bonds and cognitive skills. He critiques the societal push for academic performance over play, illustrating how such pressure can hinder emotional well-being and creativity in kids.
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Play-Based Learning vs. Rote Memorization
- Play-based learning surpasses rote memorization, focusing on interaction.
- It builds neural connections, especially in the prefrontal cortex, the brain's executive control center.
Play as Brain Exercise
- Play is hard work for children's brains, like heavy lifting for muscles.
- Adult interaction during play is crucial, acting as a "superfood" for brain development.
Excel Sheet vs. Play
- Jessie Ilhardt created an Excel document to track preschoolers' learning, focusing on letters, numbers, and shapes.
- Later, she realized the importance of interactive, brain-building play over rote memorization.