Learning & Enrichment: Why play matters

From top right, table filled with materials for play at the Boys & Girls Club. Free play, according to childhood development experts, fosters curiousity and learning through experience. (Amy Sowder photos). Play should be spontaneous and not designed for specific outcomes, according to Emily Bly. (Kaz Sheekey Photo) Nicole Crispinelli says unstructured play is crucial for learning and development. (Natalia Degiulio Photo) Morning play is an important activity at the Boys & Girls Club of Northern Westchester. (Amy Sowder photo.)

SPECIAL SECTION  Learning & Enrichment January 23, 2026

Local early-childhood educators explain

By AMY SOWDER 

At the Boys & Girls Club of Northern Westchester in Mount Kisco, two little girls packed sand into an orange mold. One 3-year-old’s fingers dug into some kinetic sand, grabbed a handful and let it ooze from her fingertips.

“No, no more!” said the girl holding the mold.

“No more?” asked the other girl.

“No, no more. I want a little bit.”

“Little bit?” asked the other girl, and removed sand from the orange mold.

This kind of play, without adult correction or established goals, frees children to learn through experience and curiosity. It helps them hone their language, problem-solving and social skills. And there’s less space for it in today’s world, with the technology at our fingertips and the cultural shift from impromptu outdoor play with neighborhood kids to prearranged playdates. 

“Play in early childhood is how kids learn, how they develop, how they communicate,” said Nicole Crispinelli, PsyD, a school psychologist who has worked in Westchester County for the last 10 years. “It really encompasses everything they do — how to talk, interact, problem-solve. It’s how humans interact with the world.”

Emily Bly, a licensed clinical psychologist and director of Psychology Partners Group of Westchester in Chappaqua and Hartsdale, defines play as “engaged behavior that is led by the child — it is spontaneous, it is not results oriented or focused on any kind of final product.”

What play is not, Bly said, is anything passive like television or screen engagement, or anything adults assign to children with predetermined outcomes.

Building language through conversation

“Play improves language by permitting children to practice grown-up concepts and expressions,” Bly said. When children play house, they use bigger words and more advanced vocabulary they’ve heard from their parents. “They also practice serve and return patterns which develop both receptive and expressive language.”

Alana Pudalov, director of wellness at Boys & Girls Club of Northern Westchester, said play offers children who struggle with expression “an entry point, to feel like they belong, they matter and the words evolve in time.”

Through imaginative play with dolls or other characters, children learn new vocabulary and develop narrative skills while describing their feelings.

Problem-solving through trial and error

“Problem solving is one of the most fundamental aspects of play and one of its greatest developmental benefits,” Bly said. When a child builds a block tower and it falls, they’re experimenting and learning. “Based on their experience, the ‘data,’ they might try a different approach to solve the problem.”

Crispinelli emphasized the importance of letting children struggle. “There’s a tendency for a parent not to want their child to struggle,” she said, “but they’re learning.” When a 2-year-old’s block tower tumbles, learning cause and effect might be more valuable than a parent swooping in to explain the rules of stable construction.

“We want the child to be able to experiment with the things in front of them,” Crispinelli said.

Social skills in action

That kinetic sand negotiation — “I want a little bit” — demonstrates how social skills are embedded in play.

“Sometimes it can get messy and sometimes feelings can get hurt when our friend doesn’t share the crayons, but this is where kids learn to adjust, to practice flexibility,” Bly said. Children learn the impact of kind words versus harsh words, and through experience, they learn to compromise.

Pudalov said play creates opportunities for asking for help and negotiating roles and expectations. Devin Pucci, wellness supervisor at the club, added that adults don’t need to over-teach. “They will learn through experiencing it — explore, experiment, curiosity.”

The screen time challenge

“There is no thief of joyful play more powerful than being watched and corrected,” Bly said. “What most inhibits play is criticism or goal orientation.” Screens are another enemy — kids engaging passively with algorithmic content that doesn’t challenge their exploration.

Bly’s practice advocates a “wait until 8th” approach for smartphones and recommends establishing well-defined time windows when screens are available.

Crispinelli, also a mother of three young children, noted the importance of boredom. “When I make a conscious effort to say we have no plans today and we’re staying home, I find they come up with new things to do,” she said. “When you think about creativity, generating ideas and resiliency, finding ways to occupy yourself is an important skill to learn.”

Christopher Beaudreault, director of programming at the Boys & Girls Club, observed the cultural shift that has reduced impromptu outdoor play.  “Gone are the days of kids roaming the streets on their bikes, playing ball outside. I don’t see kids playing outside in my neighborhood like I played growing up.”

When it comes to toys, Crispinelli said the best ones allow interaction across ages. These include blocks, magnetic tiles, dolls, dress-up clothes, creative art supplies. “Look for toys that are vaguer, that can be used across many ages and genders.”

Pudalov notes that parents often join activities at pickup at the Boys & Girls Club, learning from observing how staff model play. “Parents love being a part of it,” Pudalov said. “They can get materials and bring it home.”

“It happens organically,” she added. “We’re planting the seeds.”