ABSTRACT
Children live in the moment. They do not keep tabs on time, worry about being late, check the status of to-do-lists, or attempt to fit many pressing obligations into a day. Instead, they play. They move their bodies for the sheer fun of moving. They bang, rotate, combine, and pretend with objects, for the sheer fun of discovery. They coo, babble, and soon use words and sentences for the sheer fun of connecting with others. And children find creative ways to turn the activities of everyday life – eating snacks, taking baths, and getting dressed – into playful escapades – finger painting with applesauce, splashing water onto the floor, and playing peek-a-boo from under a coat. In the famous words of Maria Montessori: Play is the work of children.
