Both kids have an enduring and passionate interest in Pokemon. Slowly, we've accumulated Pokemon trading cards, Pokemon Gameboy and Nintendo DS cartridges, a printed Pokedex, multiple Pokemon chapter books and plush and plastic Pokemon characters.
Unable to help the kids when they got stuck and not understanding much about it, I got my own Nintendo Ds and Pokemon cartridge and learned to play. Learning to play not only gave me familiarity with the game but also gave me insight into all the things playing Pokemon was teaching them: indexing, alphabetizing, strategy and problem-solving, frustration tolerance, patience, and, equally important, pure fun.
These days, we vastly overlook the importance and usefulness of play. To say that something is "mere child's play" is to denigrate it. But play as a source to knowlege has long been recognized:
"What then is the right way of living? Life must be lived as play."
--Plato, Greek Philosopher (427-347 BCE)Unable to help the kids when they got stuck and not understanding much about it, I got my own Nintendo Ds and Pokemon cartridge and learned to play. Learning to play not only gave me familiarity with the game but also gave me insight into all the things playing Pokemon was teaching them: indexing, alphabetizing, strategy and problem-solving, frustration tolerance, patience, and, equally important, pure fun.
These days, we vastly overlook the importance and usefulness of play. To say that something is "mere child's play" is to denigrate it. But play as a source to knowlege has long been recognized:
"What then is the right way of living? Life must be lived as play."
Go play!
