Wendy Berliner’s article on giving children more opportunity to ask questions is a timely reminder about their need to play (‘School is killing curiosity’, 28 January). I was involved in the establishment of playgroups 60 years ago. We saw they played a profoundly important part in children’s development.
Allowing children to learn through independent play was very necessary. I have long regretted that the playgroup movement was weakened by the introduction of more formally organised nurseries.
In schools, in many classrooms the chance to learn through exploration is denied. There seem to be fewer and fewer opportunities for children to play, either on their own or with others. As such they may lose that fundamentally important curiosity dimension in their life.
Edith Ryan
Carluke, Lanarkshire
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