Camp Terra Viva

The Power of Play: How Children Learn Through Games, Friendship, and Adventure By Andrea Lopez There was a time—not too long ago—when we, the children roamed the neighborhood with scraped knees, sunburnt noses, and hearts full of adventure.  We played tag until the streetlights came on, built forts from sticks and blankets, created imaginary worlds, and learned how to navigate friendships, take turns, and solve problems—without adult scripts or screens. Our playground was the street, the park, the woods behind someone’s house. And the only clock we followed was the call of a parent shouting, “Dinner’s ready!” Today, in an age of overscheduling and technology, it’s easy to forget just how powerful that kind of unstructured, social play can be in a child’s development. Children Learn by Doing—Together Games and group activities aren’t just fun. They’re fundamental to how children learn. Whether it’s a simple game of hide-and-seek or a team-building challenge at camp, children are pra...