Play

Play is not often given the respect that it deserves. For many people it conjures up an idea of wasting time and not being involved in constructive activity.
In reality, play is the means by which children learn. When children are playing they engage all their faculties in what they are doing and it is in this way that they discover things about themselves and the world around them.
This is obvious for very young children - one can actually see their skills and understanding develop as they play with objects that fall within their grasp.
The significance of play as a means of learning is, however, undervalued for older children. Adults sometimes consider play to be frivolous and try to direct children towards more 'educational' activities. This is a mistake. Nothing is more educational than playing and, rather than obstructing is, parents should constantly be looking for ways to give their children more opportunities to play.

By Gareth Lewis in "One-to-One, a practical guide to learning at home age 0-11."