The things kids learn through open-ended play beforebefore they

start formal schooling do enrich the reading, writing and numeracy skills they

later acquire.

A child learns to make sense of the world by interacting with others and exploring

their environment.

Young children have their own explanations about how the world works. They need to be given the

opportunity to test these hypotheses, correct their misunderstandings and,

with the help of more knowledgeable peers or adults, build

on what they discover to be true.

Children in Scandinavia, with its 99-per-cent

literacy rate, don’t get formal reading lessons

until age seven.

Literacy experts agree that kids learn to read in different ways

and at different ages.

Early readers hold no long-term advantage over late starters.

Children need time to play and develop and do other

kinds of learning that happens after hours.

Eating together - because it involves sitting and talking with adults over a sustained

period - is one of the stronger predictors of high

achievement scores and fewer behaviour problems.

After-school activities

Giving kids the opportunity to do

nothing might be the biggest favour we

could do them.

Being able to entertain themselves and figure

out what to do with their own time are skills that outrank any of those.

My parents didn’t expected me to be a superkid. They

expected me to be independent. A kid probably

can’t be both.