Reflections on a Day at the Museum of Play

by Justin Marquis Ph.D.

I recently had the opportunity to spend a day at the Strong National Museum of Play in Rochester, New York. While it was certainly fun and provided a very enjoyable nostalgic trip for me, the museum also proved to be an amazing resource for educators or anyone interested in play, its role in society, and its power as an educational medium. Having spent the day reading the information provided about the science of play and soaking in quotes from prominent educators, psychologists, historians, sociologists, and other great thinkers, I came to the very clear realization that we are educating wrong at the most fundamental level.

Here is some of the most important information I learned at the Museum of Play, my reflections on what each piece means, and why I think it all adds up to the fact that we are doing our children a disservice by not basing our educational systems on play.