The Editor,
Re. “Pop-up park could become permanent” (The Tri-City News, Oct. 31).
I read with great interest the following statement: “The concept is based on emerging research [my italics] that has found young children benefit from free and independent play, learning how to think critically and develop creativity while identifying hazards and assessing risks.”
It then continues, talking about adventure playgrounds, etc. to tell us how children, if left to their own devices (and not hovered over by super-vigilant adults — my words) will explore and take voyages of discovery.
This is what children have done from time immemorial in order to learn how to co-operate with others and to become socially adept.
I have beside me as I write the first page of one of my examination papers from my teacher’s certificate examination from Manchester University more than 50 years ago.
It includes this question: “How does play help in the development of children? Show how the teacher’s understanding of play may help her in her work.”
It seems to me that “emerging research” is reinventing the wheel.
Margaret Whitelegg,
Port Coquitlam
