by Danelle Karth

Created on: February 06, 2008   Last Updated: February 26, 2008

The whole world is our classroom.

This is seen each and every time you watch a toddler at play. They spend time mimicking adults, learning about objects, shapes, colors, and the laws of the universe. They like to learn about how things work, why they work that way, and whether or not they can manipulate them to work some other way. A toddler at play is one who is learning and growing.

My son loves to "talk" on the cell phone. He gets in trouble for playing with the real deal, but that doesn't stop him from imagining. So, you see him walk around with a mini stapler (with no staples). He has it open and held up to his ear. "Hello." he says. Of course no one replies, but that doesn't stop his excited, "Who is this?" After this comes a stream of chatter that isn't recognizable. At least not to us, and it certainly doesn't matter because no one is on the other line. Sometimes that will end the discussion, other times the "phone" gets handed to me and I am commanded to "talk". He is learning, even though he is doing nothing more then imagining and playing.

But it certainly doesn't stop there. After all a toddler at play is one who will try many things. He also cooks himself eggs and bacon on his play stove and he tries to take the cap off of everything he can get a hold of using his toy pliers. He is learning about his world and learning how things work.

He learns about shapes with toys such as the shape container. He sticks the star in the star hole. But that isn't enough for him. He stacks the little boxes that fit together. This time adding the star to the top. Isn't that wonderful. "Mama! Mama!" he exclaims as he tugs me over to show the wonderful thing he has done.

Even misgief types of play can teach him a great deal. At least this is what I remind myself as he brings me potato after potato from the potato basket. I give my required "thanks you" and if I don't he says it for me. When he is done bringing them to me, it is time to put them all back. "Put them back in the basket." Excited he trots off one at a time taking the potatoes back to their basket. He is learning about manners, how we do things, and to pick up after himself.

What if the toddler wasn't allowed to play? That would leave him or her without their number one way to learn about the world around them. Not only would it take the fun out of life, but it would put them behind in their ideas and understanding of the world. A toddler without play is like a fish without water, they aren't truly living.

The whole world is our classroom and we are all students in it!

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