The importance of play for children

In browsing on the internet, I have come across several sites that list incredibly packed timetables for children. I found these really surprising. You see, I never make a timetable for my children: I let them, largely speaking, do as they please.

My toddler, Tiarnan, ten months investigates every nook and cranny of our house. Fintan plays with his brothers and his toys. Ainan chooses either to play with them, or to indulge himself in mental games: drawing molecules, inventing reactions, writing little books, inventing devices. For Ainan this is play - it is what he chooses to do. Never did I require of him that he do these things. He spontaneously does these things of his own accord. The idea that one might timetable a day packed with intellectual activities for one's children is a strange one to me - for it takes away the fun of discovery. Children are able to discover their interests and their world, by themselves, if you let them. From what I have seen in my children, their gifts and talents will emerge naturally as they engage with the world.

(If you would like to read more of my gifted children, Ainan Celeste Cawley, a scientific child prodigy, Fintan, three, or Tiarnan, a baby, please go to: http://scientific-child-prodigy.blogspot.com/2006/10/scientific-child-prodigy-blogspot.html I also write of gifted education, intelligence, IQ, child prodigy, child genius, baby genius, adult genius, savant, the creatively gifted, gifted adults and gifted children in general. Thanks.)

At no stage did either of Ainan's parents sit down and say: "You are going to be scientist...here, do this." He naturally chose to do things that lead us to observe that he IS a scientist. All that Ainan is, is emerging naturally from Ainan. I don't think that any other way would be anything but forced and false, resulting in a child at odd's with its own essential nature.

The child knows what the child is: let the child become that, then.

(If you would like to read more of my scientific child prodigy son, Ainan Celeste Cawley and his gifted brothers, please go to: http://scientific-child-prodigy.blogspot.com/2006/10/scientific-child-prodigy-guide.html I also write of child prodigy, child genius, savant, the creatively gifted, adult genius, gifted adults and gifted children in general. Thanks)