Fifteen years ago,?I walked into a classroom as a first-year preschool teacher.?Ambitious and eager to impress,?I created this Excel document?to track the things I thought mattered most for my students:?letters, numbers, shapes and colors.?Looking back, though, with what I know now,?I wish I wouldn't have bothered with Excel or rote memorization.?I wish instead I had leveraged the power of brain-building interactive play.

十五年前，?我走進教室， 成為了一名幼兒園小班教師。?我斗志昂揚， 很想做出一些成績，?于是做了一個表格，?記錄那些我認為對我的學生 最重要的一些事：?字母、數(shù)字、形狀、顏色。?雖然就我如今所知 回首往昔，?我多希望當時沒有糾纏于 做表格和死記硬背。?我多希望當時充分利用了 健腦互動游戲。

For years, we’ve known?that play-based learning is far superior to rote memorization.?Harvard's Center on the Developing Child tells us,?as well as countless other institutions,?that play, and especially the back and forth interactions,?the serve and return,?the alternating comments, questions, gestures?between children and adults when they play together,?that's what helps build neural connections in the child's brain.?And in particular, they build the brain's prefrontal cortex.?That's the executive control center of the brain.?The part that manages emotions, solves problems, makes plans --?all things that children have to do when they play.

長久以來，我們都知道?寓教于樂比死記硬背 效果要好很多。?哈佛兒童發(fā)展研究中心?和許多機構表明，?游戲，尤其是有來有往的互動，?你來我往，?孩子和成人一起玩耍時?輪流產生的想法、問題和動作，?有助于在兒童的大腦中 建立神經聯(lián)結。?尤其有助于 前額葉皮質的發(fā)育。?前額葉皮質是大腦的 控制決策中心。?控制情緒、解決問題、 制定計劃——?都是兒童在玩耍時 需要完成的任務。

So when we think of it that way, play is actually hard work.?If learning is like a workout for the brain,?then play-based learning is the heavy lifting.?And just as heavy lifting builds muscle,?play-based learning builds the brain's architecture.

這么一想，玩耍還挺難的。?如果學習可以看作 大腦的健身，?那寓教于樂就類似于舉重。?如同舉重可以增肌，?寓教于樂可以搭建起大腦的結構。

So then where do us as grown-ups come in??It's those interactions when a child says something?and a parent or teacher says something back,?those interactions help the child to persist, to stick with their plan,?to keep rebuilding the block tower each time it falls.?So it's the play paired with the adult interactions.?It's like superfood for the brain.

那我們作為成年人 該扮演什么角色呢？?我們該加入這些互動， 孩子說了什么，?家長或老師作出回應，?這些互動能讓孩子 堅持自己的計劃，?就算積木小樓塌了也能 不屈不撓，重新搭建。?玩樂加上成人的互動，?就像是對大腦的超級食物。

The research community in supportive play is so resounding,?I would expect to see children in nearly every household,?every preschool and kindergarten classroom?playing for most of their waking hours.?But that's far from reality.?We don't see widespread uptake of play among parents or teachers,?and sometimes we even see resistance.

針對支持性游戲的研究 卓有成效，?我覺得以后每家每戶、?每間學前班和幼兒園 教室里的孩子?都能在醒著的大部分時間里 一直玩耍。?但是這與現(xiàn)實相去甚遠。?我們沒有看到家長或教師 廣泛采取玩樂教育，?有的時候甚至會有些抗拒。

So what's going on??What's driving us as parents and teachers to ignore the overwhelming research?when it comes to play?

怎么回事？?為什么我們作為家長和教師， 一牽涉到玩耍，?就會選擇無視豐富的研究成果？

After years of teaching preschool, coaching teachers, coaching parents?and analyzing my own parenting,?I've realized our best intentions are getting in the way.?We live in a comparison culture,?and we worry that our child won't be good enough.?Won't be good enough for the soccer team,?won't be ready for kindergarten,?won't be as smart as their classmates.?And we worry that if our child doesn't measure up,?it will be our fault.?Our hyperfocus on our children and our students’s success is backfiring.?And it's exacerbated by two forces I see impacting?the large majority of parents and teachers.?First, the need for immediate gratification?and quick results.?And second, our own discomfort with play,?either because we don't have the time or energy,?or because we just don't know how to play anymore.

多年以來，我從事學前教育、 指導教師、指導家長、?分析我自己做家長的方式，?我發(fā)現(xiàn)，我們不甘人后的心理 就是罪魁禍首。?我們的文化就是凡事都要比較，?我們會擔心自己的孩子不夠優(yōu)秀。?不夠優(yōu)秀加入足球隊，?沒準備好上幼兒園，?沒有同學那么聰明。?我們擔心如果孩子落后于人，?那就是我們自己的錯。?我們對孩子和學生成功的過度關注 產生了事與愿違的效果。?大多數(shù)家長和老師都會受到?兩股力量的影響， 從而使事態(tài)更加惡化。?第一，對即時滿足?和立竿見影的渴望。?第二，我們自身對玩樂的不適，?有可能是因為我們沒有 足夠的時間或者精力，?也有可能是因為 我們已經不知道該怎么玩了。

On the topic of immediate gratification,?I think back to that Excel document I created as a first-year teacher.?That document was the manifestation of my anxiety,?because often when we feel anxious or out of control,?we revert back to what we can control.?For parents and teachers,?we often revert to fact-based teaching?because we see pretty immediate results that affirm our efforts.?Whereas we can't see the connections in the child's brain?that fire when they finally get that wobbly block tower to stay standing.?The immediate result of something like our child learning a new letter,?it gives us this dopamine rush that then sets off a flywheel effect?because as we see and feel the results of our work more and more,?we subconsciously begin to prioritize that type of teaching.

說到即時滿足，?我想起了當小班老師時 做的那張表格。?那份文件將我的焦慮暴露無遺，?因為每當我們感到焦慮 或者失去控制的時候，?都會轉向我們能控制的東西。?對于家長和老師來說，?我們總是會轉而采取 基于事實的教育方法，?因為我們能看到 證明我們付出的即時成果。?但是我們看不見 孩子腦中的聯(lián)結，?在讓搖搖欲墜的積木小樓 穩(wěn)穩(wěn)站住時點亮的那些聯(lián)結。?那些即時產生的成果， 比如孩子學會了一個新的字母，?會讓我們多巴胺飆升， 然后產生飛輪效應，?因為我們越來越能看見、 感受到我們努力的成果，?于是就會不自覺地 優(yōu)先選擇這種教育方式。

Recently, my staff was coaching a group of school principals?on the importance of play.?And one of the principals said?that his teachers just weren't on board.?They said their students are too far behind to play.?And those well-intentioned teachers,?they were equating academic learning that their students needed?with methods that would show quick, concrete results.?They felt really proud and accomplished?when they could talk to the students' parents?and say how many letters and numbers they learned that month.

最近，我的同事在 培訓一群校長，?告訴他們玩樂的重要性。?一個校長說，?他的老師們干不了。?老師們說他們的學生 進度太落后了，不能玩。?這些本意是好的老師，?他們將學生需要的學業(yè)教育?等同于那些立竿見影的方法。?他們?yōu)槟軌蚋嬖V學生家長， 他們的孩子那個月?學了多少個字母和數(shù)字， 感到十分自豪、有成就感。

Because we as parents and teachers,?we share this universal desire for our kids to do well.?And we will pour our energy and resources into making that happen.?And that's showing up in our spending habits.?Marketers are preying on it as they advertise the latest and greatest toys,?flashcards, iPad apps for brain development,?even kits that claim to teach your baby to read.?Seriously, babies.?And because we worry that our kids won't measure up, we fall prey to that.?The global market for educational toys surpassed 68 billion dollars in 2021?and is projected to reach 132 billion by 2028.

我們作為家長和老師，?都懷有讓我們的孩子更好的愿望。?于是，我們會傾盡精力和資源 實現(xiàn)這個目標。?這在我們的消費習慣中也可見一斑。?營銷人員虎視眈眈， 借此宣傳最新最棒的玩具、?識字卡、iPad 益智應用，?甚至是號稱能教你的寶寶 如何閱讀的工具包。?說真的，寶寶哎。?由于我們擔心孩子落后于人， 所以我們心甘情愿任人宰割。?教育類玩具的全球市場 于 2021 年突破了 680 億美元，?預計在 2028 年以前 可達 1320 億。

But those smart toys,?they're a far cry from the interactive,?playful learning that I was talking about earlier.?That type of learning, the real gold standard of early education,?it's not immediate.?It takes time and it doesn't lend itself to a checklist or an Excel document.

但是這些智力玩具，?和我之前提到的互動、 充滿玩樂的學習方式相去甚遠。?這種形式的學習過程是 早期教育真正的黃金法則，?它不是立等可取的。?它需要時間， 而且不會依賴于某個清單或表格。

The second force I see negatively impacting play-based learning?is that we, as grown ups, parents and teachers,?just don't always like hearing that play-based learning?might require some of us.?Because that means it will take time,?energy and skills that we don't think we have.?But not only is it worth our time, it can be done in really small doses.

第二股會對寓教于樂 產生負面影響的力量是?我們作為成年人， 作為家長和老師，?就是不想聽到寓教于樂?需要我們的付出這樣的說法。?因為這意味著我們得付出 我們自認為沒有的?時間、精力和能力。?但是，這不僅值得我們付出時間， 而且并不需要付出很長時間。

So take this simple example of bath time.?If I'm a busy mom who has a few extra dollars to spend,?I might pop my kiddo into the tub,?remember that buying bath toys has been on my never-ending mental to-do list?for weeks,?so I whip out my phone?and I use that five minutes to go over to Amazon?and buy the top-rated bath toys.?And I'm not here to say that those bath toys are harmful for your child.?They're not.?But you're busy.?So what you do with that five to 10 minutes, it matters.?And you know what would be way better than scrolling Amazon?and even better than those bath toys??Three things that I can almost guarantee you have in your home.?Measuring cups,?kitchen sponges and you.?Because a couple household materials dropped into the bathtub,?and this mundane routine?becomes fun and surprisingly energizing bonding time?for you and your child.?And bonus,?instead of the manufacturer-designed toy telling your child how to play,?your child's brain has to do the heavy lifting.?And that's that superfood for the brain.

我們就舉洗澡時間 這個簡單的例子。?如果我是個忙碌的媽媽， 有點閑錢，?我可能會把孩子丟進浴缸，?幾周以來，購買洗浴玩具一直 在我腦海中那長長的待辦事項中，?所以我掏出手機，?在亞馬遜上花五分鐘?購入了評分最高的洗浴玩具。?我不是想說 這些洗浴玩具對你的孩子有害。?它們不是有害的。?但是你很忙。?但是你在那 5 到 10 分鐘內 做的事十分重要。?你知道有什么能比刷亞馬遜和?那些洗浴玩具更棒嗎？?我敢保證你家里一定有 這三樣東西。?量杯、?廚房海綿和你自己。?因為如果把這些日常用具 放進你的浴缸，?這枯燥乏味的家務?對你和孩子來說就成為了 更加有趣、讓人振奮的聯(lián)結時間。?附贈一點，?你沒有使用那些教孩子怎么玩的 流水線玩具，?而是依靠孩子自己的大腦 承擔重任。?這就是給大腦的超級食物。

Now, over the past 10 years coaching parents,?I have heard over and over again?that parents don't feel good enough at their job, at parenting.?And there's so much pressure on us,?and sometimes it feels like we're supposed to innately know?how to get down on the floor and build our baby's brains.?And over the past few years,?the social media world has exploded?with even more advice for parents and teachers.?How to affirm children's feelings but still set clear boundaries.?15 ways to use a cardboard box in your classroom.?And DIY Halloween costumes that are sure to win the school costume contest.?And as I rattle those off,?I could just imagine the rolling eyes from parents and teachers,?and I share that frustration.?Because sometimes all the chatter?only makes us feel more pressured to get it right.

在過去 10 年的家長培訓中，?我一次次聽到?家長感覺沒有勝任自己的工作， 即為人父母。?我們承受了很大的壓力，?有時候感覺我們天生就得知道?如何親身實踐， 增強孩子的大腦。?在過去的幾年里，?社交媒體的世界里充斥著?越來越多給家長和老師的建議。?如何判斷孩子的感受 又保持明確的界限。?將紙板箱用于課堂的 15 種方法。?動手制作絕對能贏得 學校裝扮大賽的萬圣節(jié)裝扮。?我列舉了這么一堆，?都能想象到 家長老師的白眼，?我也知道這有多么讓人崩潰。?因為有時這些滿天飛的信息?只會讓我們更迫切地想要做對。

When it comes to our children's learning, though,?we don't have to be the perfect Etsy parent?or the perfect Pinterest teacher.?We have to prioritize interactions and be OK with them being imperfect.?Because it may seem silly to admit that we don't feel good?at playing with our kids,?but as adults, it's not always intuitive.?Sure, most of us played a lot when we were little.?We'd tie the blankets around their neck?and bound around the house like superheroes.?But as we grew up, that type of play wasn't encouraged anymore.?And just as with any skill that we don't use,?we risk losing it.

但是說到子女教育，?我們不必成為完美的 Etsy 家長，?或者完美的 Pinterest 老師。?我們需要把互動放在第一位， 接受自己的不完美。?因為承認自己不擅長和孩子玩耍?似乎有點傻，?但是對于成年人來說， 玩耍并沒有那么容易。?誠然，大多數(shù)人 小時候總是在玩耍。?我們會像超級英雄那樣 把毯子系在脖子上，?繞著房子跑來跑去。?但是隨著我們長大， 這種游戲再也不會受到追捧了。?就如同我們不使用的技能，?我們有可能會喪失它。

A couple months ago, my colleague and I,?we were leading a workshop for parents and teachers.?And we brought materials like shaving cream?and plastic straws and buttons?and pipe cleaners?and just asked the parents and teachers to play,?to create.?Everyone froze.?Then, slowly but surely, people started to create.?And by the end of the session,?their faces were lighting up as they shared their creations?with the rest of the group.?And it reminded me that as adults,?we have to let go of our expectation that we get it right.?Because if we opt out of play,?based on what we know about how important our interactions are?to children's development,?if we opt out of play,?it has major implications for their brain development.

幾個月前，我和我的同事?為家長和老師 組織了一場工作坊。?我們帶來了一些材料， 如剃須膏、?塑料吸管、紐扣、?管道清潔刷，?然后讓家長和老師用它們玩，?用它們創(chuàng)造。?大家都呆住了。?但是大家確實逐漸開始創(chuàng)作了。?在活動結束的時候，?他們與大家分享了作品， 一臉高興的神色。?這提醒了我，作為成年人，?我們得拋下必須要做對的預設。?因為如果我們不玩耍，?根據(jù)我們所知 互動對兒童發(fā)育的重要性，?如果我們不玩的話，?會對孩子的大腦發(fā)育產生 嚴重影響。

Now I know that finding the energy?to play with our kids and students can be hard.?Even in small doses,?it takes our undivided attention.?But it’s so worth it.?Because in all my experience and research,?I haven't found any evidence?that making the homemade cookies for the school bake sale?matters for your child's brain development.?I haven't found any evidence that sewing that winning Halloween costume?means they'll do well in school.?But what does matter?is that the interactions leave space?for your child to learn, to persist, to play, to experiment.?You have the power to have an enormous impact on their brain development.?You are helping build the network of neural connections?that lay the foundation for all of their future learning.

我知道留出精力?陪孩子和學生玩可能會很難。?就算是那么一點點精力，?還是會分走我們 全神貫注的注意力。?但這是值得的。?因為根據(jù)我的經驗和研究，?沒有任何跡象表明?為學校烘焙特賣 自制小餅干?對你孩子的大腦發(fā)育 會有什么幫助。?也沒有跡象表明制作 獲獎的萬圣節(jié)裝扮?代表孩子會在學校表現(xiàn)優(yōu)秀。?但是重要的是，?互動體驗為孩子的學習、?堅持、玩耍、試驗創(chuàng)造了空間。?你有能力為孩子的大腦發(fā)育 創(chuàng)造重大影響。?你在幫助他們 搭建神經聯(lián)結的網絡，?為他們以后的學習打下基礎。

So this week at bath time,?I hope that you'll put aside the top-rated toys,?forget that mental to-do list for a moment,?grab some measuring cups,?some kitchen sponges, and give it a try.

所以，這周的洗澡時間，?我希望你能丟開 那評分很好的玩具，?暫時忘記腦海中的待辦事項，?拿上幾個量杯、?幾塊廚房海綿，嘗試一下。