I WATCHED one of our four-year-old boys on his first day at school. Within minutes he was scanning the room, looking around for an opportunity to play. Why? Because he is four years old – it’s what children do.
The benefits of play in a child’s development are often underestimated. It’s where they learn skills that form the foundation of their education – language, confidence, communication, collaboration, and cooperation. In countries such as Finland, children are allowed to develop those skills before entering formal schooling. They thrive.
The Educational Institute of Scotland (EIS) has warned proposals to raise the school starting age at Scottish schools to six – backed by members at the SNP conference – risk dumbing down early years education.
