--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Childhood’s work is learning, and it is…" description: "\"Childhood’s work is learning, and it is in his play...that the child works at his job.\" — Caroline Pratt" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/168/caroline-pratt-32185_childhood_childhood-s-work-is-learning-and-it-is-i_1061301.jpg" --- # Childhood’s work is learning, and it is in his play...that… ![“Childhood’s work is learning, and it is in his play...that the child works at his job.” quote by Caroline Pratt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/168/caroline-pratt-32185_childhood_childhood-s-work-is-learning-and-it-is-i_1061301.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/168/caroline-pratt-32185_childhood_childhood-s-work-is-learning-and-it-is-i_1061301.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/168/caroline-pratt-32185_childhood_childhood-s-work-is-learning-and-it-is-i_1061301.jpg) > “Childhood’s work is learning, and it is in his play...that the child works at his job.” [Caroline Pratt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/caroline-pratt/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Children learn through play, turning everyday activities into meaningful work that builds skills and understanding. **In simple terms:** Play is a form of learning and work for children. Key Takeaway Encourage play as a learning tool. Themes education play development Mood joyful instructive Type educational inspirational When to use this quote - preschool - after‑school programs - family activities Key Concepts pedagogy cognitive development Questions to Reflect On - What play activities best teach real‑world skills? - How can adults support learning through play? A Different Perspective Play alone may not cover all educational needs. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Child](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/child/) [Child Works](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/child-works-514111/) [Childhood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/childhood/) [Childhood Work](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/childhood-work-1615924/) [Children](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/children/) [Education](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/education/) [Jobs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/jobs/) [Learning Play](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/learning-play-283912/) [Play](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/play/) [Play Child](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/play-child-379333/) ## Related quotes > [I missed out on my childhood. I had to work hard, but I was immediately given a place in playback.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lata-mangeshkar/i-missed-out-on-my-childhood-i-had-to-work-hard-but-i-was-immediately/) [Lata Mangeshkar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lata-mangeshkar/) > [The adult works to improve his environment while the child works to improve himself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maria-montessori/the-adult-works-to-improve-his-environment-while-the-child-works-to/) [Maria Montessori](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maria-montessori/) > [Play is a child's work and this is not a trivial pursuit.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alfred-adler/play-is-a-child-s-work-and-this-is-not-a-trivial-pursuit/) [Alfred Adler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alfred-adler/) > [The mind grows by self revelation. In play the child ascertains what he can do, discovers his possibilities of will and thought by exerting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/friedrich-frobel/the-mind-grows-by-self-revelation-in-play-the-child-ascertains-what/) [Friedrich Frobel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/friedrich-frobel/) > [I have changed nothing, my style of play is still that of a child. I know that above all it is my job and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lionel-messi/i-have-changed-nothing-my-style-of-play-is-still-that-of-a-child-i/) [Lionel Messi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lionel-messi/) > [In play, the child is always behaving beyond his age, above his usual everyday behaviour; in play he is, as it were, a head…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lev-s-vygotsky/in-play-the-child-is-always-behaving-beyond-his-age-above-his-usual/) [Lev S. Vygotsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lev-s-vygotsky/) > [Cooking ought to be, quite literally, child's play. And every child ought to have access to the game. Just don't tell them it's healthy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephanie-coontz/cooking-ought-to-be-quite-literally-child-s-play-and-every-child/) [Stephanie Coontz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephanie-coontz/) > [The main characteristic of play - whether of child or adult - is not it content but its mode. Play is an approach to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerome-bruner/the-main-characteristic-of-play-whether-of-child-or-adult-is-not-it/) [Jerome Bruner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerome-bruner/) > [There are few places outside his own play where a child can contribute to the world in which he finds himself. 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It is an opportunity which is given to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/virginia-axline/play-therapy-is-based-upon-the-fact-that-play-is-the-child-s-natural/) [Virginia Axline](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/virginia-axline/) > [In play, a child is always above his average age, above his daily behavior; in play, it is as though he were a head…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lev-vygotsky/in-play-a-child-is-always-above-his-average-age-above-his-daily/) [Lev Vygotsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lev-vygotsky/) > [You see a child play, and it is so close to seeing an artist paint, for in play a child says things without uttering…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erik-erikson/you-see-a-child-play-and-it-is-so-close-to-seeing-an-artist-paint-for/) [Erik Erikson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erik-erikson/) > [A child who does not play is not a child, but the man who doesn't play has lost forever the child who lived in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pablo-neruda/a-child-who-does-not-play-is-not-a-child-but-the-man-who-doesn-t-play/) [Pablo Neruda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pablo-neruda/) ## More by Caroline Pratt > [Children do not grow up all of a piece; look for the child of seven, especially to take many backward glances at the way…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/caroline-pratt/children-do-not-grow-up-all-of-a-piece-look-for-the-child-of-seven/) [Caroline Pratt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/caroline-pratt/) > [It is only in retrospect that the high points of our lives rise up, flaunting banners.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/caroline-pratt/it-is-only-in-retrospect-that-the-high-points-of-our-lives-rise-up/) [Caroline Pratt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/caroline-pratt/) > [ Education \[is\] not an end in itself but \[is\] the first step in a progress which should continue during a lifetime. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/caroline-pratt/education-is-not-an-end-in-itself-but-is-the-first-step-in-a-progress/) [Caroline Pratt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/caroline-pratt/) > [ A school’s job \[is\] to begin education. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/caroline-pratt/a-school-s-job-is-to-begin-education/) [Caroline Pratt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/caroline-pratt/) > [“This was not the last time I was to spoil my own fun by asking questions.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/caroline-pratt/this-was-not-the-last-time-i-was-to-spoil-my-own-fun-by-asking/) [Caroline Pratt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/caroline-pratt/) > [“The more closely he has observed the tugboat, the more deeply he has been stirred by it, and the more eagerly and vividly he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/caroline-pratt/the-more-closely-he-has-observed-the-tugboat-the-more-deeply-he-has/) [Caroline Pratt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/caroline-pratt/) > [“In his play he is no longer an onlooker merely; he is a part of the busy world of adults. He is practicing to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/caroline-pratt/in-his-play-he-is-no-longer-an-onlooker-merely-he-is-a-part-of-the/) [Caroline Pratt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/caroline-pratt/) > [The most important phase of a child’s life was the beginning of it. He must be started right.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/caroline-pratt/the-most-important-phase-of-a-child-s-life-was-the-beginning-of-it-he/) [Caroline Pratt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/caroline-pratt/) > [The child, unhampered, does not waste time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/caroline-pratt/the-child-unhampered-does-not-waste-time/) [Caroline Pratt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/caroline-pratt/) > [“From the earliest days, we knew that it was not possible to do good work with the little children without the help of their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/caroline-pratt/from-the-earliest-days-we-knew-that-it-was-not-possible-to-do-good/) [Caroline Pratt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/caroline-pratt/) > [Children learn eagerly and well when they have need of the knowledge.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/caroline-pratt/children-learn-eagerly-and-well-when-they-have-need-of-the-knowledge/) [Caroline Pratt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/caroline-pratt/) > [The freest child is the child who is most interested in what he is doing, and at whose hand are the materials for his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/caroline-pratt/the-freest-child-is-the-child-who-is-most-interested-in-what-he-is/) [Caroline Pratt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/caroline-pratt/) > [A lifetime is not too long to spend in learning about the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/caroline-pratt/a-lifetime-is-not-too-long-to-spend-in-learning-about-the-world/) [Caroline Pratt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/caroline-pratt/) > [Children...need most of the same things adults need--consideration, respect for their work, the knowledge that they and the things they do are taken seriously.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/caroline-pratt/children-need-most-of-the-same-things-adults-need-consideration/) [Caroline Pratt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/caroline-pratt/) [Explore all 15 Caroline Pratt quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/caroline-pratt/) ## More Child quotes > [The thing about hitting kids is, think about if you were doing the same thing to another adult. 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Or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/natasha-lyonne/i-would-have-done-well-as-a-gypsy-child-i-think-a-circus-baby-i/) [Natasha Lyonne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/natasha-lyonne/) > [We're raising children who have little tolerance for disappointment](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bren-brown/we-re-raising-children-who-have-little-tolerance-for-disappointment/) [Brené Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bren-brown/) > [I'm a weirdo and an only child. That comes together to create one-woman shows.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amanda-seales/i-m-a-weirdo-and-an-only-child-that-comes-together-to-create-one/) [Amanda Seales](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amanda-seales/) > [“Every child is born as angel.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lailah-gifty-akita/every-child-is-born-as-angel/) [Lailah Gifty Akita](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lailah-gifty-akita/) > [To assist a child we must provide him with an environment which will enable him to develop freely.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maria-montessori/to-assist-a-child-we-must-provide-him-with-an-environment-which-will/) [Maria Montessori](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maria-montessori/) > [Almost everywhere we find . . . the use of various coercive measures, to rid ourselves as quickly as possible of the child withinus--i.e.,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-miller/almost-everywhere-we-find-the-use-of-various-coercive-measures-to-rid/) [Alice Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-miller/) > [Since I was a little child, my nose - I think it's too big.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/celine-dion/since-i-was-a-little-child-my-nose-i-think-it-s-too-big/) [Celine Dion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/celine-dion/) > [if we center our lives on BMWs, RVs, VCRs, PCs and the other acronyms of consumerism, we cannot expect our children to do otherwise.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johnnetta-b-cole/if-we-center-our-lives-on-bmws-rvs-vcrs-pcs-and-the-other-acronyms-of/) [Johnnetta B. Cole](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johnnetta-b-cole/) > [Bring up your children in the way you think other peoples children should go.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vikrant-parsai/bring-up-your-children-in-the-way-you-think-other-peoples-children/) [Vikrant Parsai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vikrant-parsai/) > [Parents who are stressed or disturbed will have more difficulty in meeting their children's needs. 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