{"version":"1.0","type":"rich","provider_name":"Acast","provider_url":"https://acast.com","height":250,"width":700,"html":"","title":"Why play is key for child development with Dr. Kathy Hirsch-Pasek","thumbnail_width":200,"thumbnail_height":200,"thumbnail_url":"https://open-images.acast.com/shows/69e6c9ae6e5b90839aff7534/1781135131305-d17bfd1c-536f-42d2-b82e-ff80d705cfd1.jpeg?height=200","description":"

In this episode of Parenting, Apparently, Esther and Melissa sit down with developmental psychologist Dr. Kathy Hirsh-Pasek to talk about why play is one of the most powerful ways children learn. From everyday moments like walking to daycare or waiting at a restaurant, to bigger questions about screen time, school readiness, and achievement pressure, they explore how parents can bring more curiosity, connection, and play into daily life without added stress.


Dr. Kathy shares why kids do not need perfect parents, flashcards, or constant milestone tracking to thrive. Instead, she makes the case for open-ended play, human interaction, and child-friendly environments that support creativity, language, problem-solving, and emotional development. For parents wondering how to help their kids learn without turning childhood into a race, this episode offers a grounded, science-backed reminder: play is not extra. Play is the work.


Learn more about Dr. Kathy's work:

https://kathyhirshpasek.com/


And find her book: Einstein Never Used Flashcards


Check out the study she mentions on human excellence and world class performance by Barth and Güllich:

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/41411418/


And her book recommendation \"Raising Humans\" by Dana Suskind:

https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/811792/human-raised-by-dana-suskind-md/

","author_name":"Pok Pok"}