Storybox Playlist: Cultivating Empathy Through Play

Recently, Sparkle Stories Spinner David Sewell McCann went live for a discussion with Tinkergarten’s Chief Learning Officer, Meghan Fitzgerald. The two discussed the developmental importance of — play! Ensuring that our little ones have plenty of time for exploration, play, and fun helps them to engage all of their senses. And integrating multiple senses at once is important for brain development, higher order thinking, and even spatial reasoning. On top of that, interacting with the natural world (especially watching and learning about animals) helps to cultivate empathy. We’ve compiled our best stories that highlight the importance of play and how it helps connect us with others and the world around us.

Why is making time for fun, play, and silliness for our little ones so important? Being active and creative (and often outdoors!) has major implications for brain development, learning, and sensory development. Playing outside (think climbing, swinging, hanging upside down) allows us to engage all of our senses. This is particularly important after a year of isolation and social distancing. Many children have been at home learning primarily through screens — engaging mostly sight and sound alone. Getting outside, playing, and being active helps to engage all seven senses (that right — seven! watch David and Meghan’s recent chat [here](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wy8f-st_e_E “”Storytelling in Play” – a Conversation with Meghan Fitzgerald of Tinkergarten”) to hear more).