--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Play for young children is not recreation…" description: "\"Play for young children is not recreation activity, It is not leisure-time activity nor escape activity. Play is thinking time for young children. It i..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bc6/james-l-hymes-75129_activity_play-for-young-children-is-not-recreatio_2650597.jpg" --- # Play for young children is not recreation activity, It is… ![“Play for young children is not recreation activity, It is not leisure-time activity nor escape activity. Play is thinking time for young children. It is language time. Problem-solving time. It is memory time, planning time, investigating time. It is organization-of-ideas time, when the young child…” quote by James L Hymes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bc6/james-l-hymes-75129_activity_play-for-young-children-is-not-recreatio_2650597.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bc6/james-l-hymes-75129_activity_play-for-young-children-is-not-recreatio_2650597.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bc6/james-l-hymes-75129_activity_play-for-young-children-is-not-recreatio_2650597.jpg) > “Play for young children is not recreation activity, It is not leisure-time activity nor escape activity. Play is thinking time for young children. It is language time. Problem-solving time. It is memory time, planning time, investigating time. It is organization-of-ideas time, when the young child uses his mind and body and his social skills and all his powers in response to the stimuli he has met.” James L Hymes ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Play is a multifaceted cognitive activity for children, encompassing language, problem‑solving, memory, planning, and social skills. **In simple terms:** Play is essential learning time. Key Takeaway Encourage structured play. Themes education development play language cognition Mood educational thoughtful Type pedagogical inspirational When to use this quote - preschool curricula - early childhood programs - parental guidance Key Concepts constructivism social learning cognitive development Questions to Reflect On - How can educators integrate play into learning? - What play activities best develop problem‑solving? A Different Perspective Play can be undervalued as mere fun. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Body](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/body/) [Child](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/child/) [Children](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/children/) [Ideas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ideas/) [Language](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/language/) [Leisure](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/leisure/) [Leisure time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/leisure-time/) [Memories](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/memories/) [Mind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mind/) [Mind and body](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mind-and-body/) [Organization](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/organization/) [Planning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/planning/) [Play](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/play/) [Problem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/problem/) [Problem solving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/problem-solving/) [Recreation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/recreation/) [Skills](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/skills/) [Social](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/social/) [Social skills](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/social-skills/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) [Young children](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/young-children/) ## Related quotes > [Man's most serious activity is play.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-santayana/man-s-most-serious-activity-is-play/) [George Santayana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-santayana/) > [Leisure may be defined as free activity, labor as compulsory activity. Leisure does what it likes, labor does what it must, the compulsion being…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-bernard-shaw/leisure-may-be-defined-as-free-activity-labor-as-compulsory-activity/) [George Bernard Shaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-bernard-shaw/) > [As long as I know what key the solo is in, I try to kind of empty my mind and not think about anything.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ace-frehley/as-long-as-i-know-what-key-the-solo-is-in-i-try-to-kind-of-empty-my/) [Ace Frehley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ace-frehley/) > [The decisions used to be so much easier, the course of action so much clearer. There was obviously the right thing to do. When…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-davis/the-decisions-used-to-be-so-much-easier-the-course-of-action-so-much/) [Jeff Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-davis/) > [“only had to write the play that I was already thinking of. Plays are much easier to write than books, because you can see…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/agatha-christie/only-had-to-write-the-play-that-i-was-already-thinking-of-plays-are/) [Agatha Christie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/agatha-christie/) > [It's impossible for me to play a part without thinking about the audience.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-walken/it-s-impossible-for-me-to-play-a-part-without-thinking-about-the/) [Christopher Walken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-walken/) > [I think it's not very enjoyable for me to move on grass and play because I'm thinking too much!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gael-monfils/i-think-it-s-not-very-enjoyable-for-me-to-move-on-grass-and-play/) [Gael Monfils](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gael-monfils/) > [I was 7, and I remember being given a part in a play and thinking, This is exciting.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-rickman/i-was-7-and-i-remember-being-given-a-part-in-a-play-and-thinking-this/) [Alan Rickman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-rickman/) > [If I have to play the slice, I can play now without thinking. Before it was always a bit different.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jannik-sinner/if-i-have-to-play-the-slice-i-can-play-now-without-thinking-before-it/) [Jannik Sinner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jannik-sinner/) > [Something like missing a shot, and the next play you're thinking about it, or you give up a play on defense and you're thinking…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/grayson-allen/something-like-missing-a-shot-and-the-next-play-you-re-thinking-about/) [Grayson Allen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/grayson-allen/) > [I think it's important to work with children and teach them the right way to train and play at a young age.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/raul/i-think-it-s-important-to-work-with-children-and-teach-them-the-right/) [Raul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/raul/) > [I don't feel like it's fair to the other players and I don't think it's the right way to do business to allow influence…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-leach/i-don-t-feel-like-it-s-fair-to-the-other-players-and-i-don-t-think-it/) [Mike Leach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-leach/) > [It is better for men to play around when they are young, if they do not, when they get older, they run the risk…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gintama/it-is-better-for-men-to-play-around-when-they-are-young-if-they-do/) [Gintama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gintama/) > [Don't get me wrong, I'm going to play the young role as long as I can because once that ship has sailed, there's no…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexa-vega/don-t-get-me-wrong-i-m-going-to-play-the-young-role-as-long-as-i-can/) [Alexa Vega](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexa-vega/) > [When you play the young girl a lot, you can be in the movie a lot and have nothing to do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-blanchard/when-you-play-the-young-girl-a-lot-you-can-be-in-the-movie-a-lot-and/) [Rachel Blanchard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-blanchard/) ## More by James L Hymes > [Children learn to care by experiencing good care. They come to know the blessings of gentleness, or sympathy, of patience and kindness, of support…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-l-hymes/children-learn-to-care-by-experiencing-good-care-they-come-to-know/) James L Hymes > [Every day-care center, whether it knows it or not, is a school. The choice is never between custodial care and education. The choice is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-l-hymes/every-day-care-center-whether-it-knows-it-or-not-is-a-school-the/) James L Hymes Explore all 3 James L Hymes quotes ## More Activity quotes > [Where I grew up, learning was a collective activity. But when I got to school and tried to share learning with other students that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-giroux/where-i-grew-up-learning-was-a-collective-activity-but-when-i-got-to/) [Henry Giroux](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-giroux/) > [It must be assumed and established as a principle, that the right of private property must be regarded as sacred. Wherefore, the law ought…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-leo-xiii/it-must-be-assumed-and-established-as-a-principle-that-the-right-of/) [Pope Leo XIII](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-leo-xiii/) > [Each man is capable of doing one thing well. If he attempts several, he will fail to achieve distinction in any.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/plato/each-man-is-capable-of-doing-one-thing-well-if-he-attempts-several-he/) [Plato](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/plato/) > [And also I think the rise of other, you could say, destinations for international jihadis mean that Pakistan isn't necessarily the place where people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mohsin-hamid/and-also-i-think-the-rise-of-other-you-could-say-destinations-for/) [Mohsin Hamid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mohsin-hamid/) > [To evoke in oneself a feeling one has once experienced, and having evoked it in oneself, then by means of movements, lines, colors, sounds,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-tolstoy/to-evoke-in-oneself-a-feeling-one-has-once-experienced-and-having/) [Leo Tolstoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-tolstoy/) > [Fighting's fun, man. It's a great activity, it's a great sport.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-mitrione/fighting-s-fun-man-it-s-a-great-activity-it-s-a-great-sport/) [Matt Mitrione](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-mitrione/) > [There were books everywhere in my house. Books were very present. I just loved books. I never understood reading as anything but a pleasurable…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lisa-lucas/there-were-books-everywhere-in-my-house-books-were-very-present-i/) [Lisa Lucas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lisa-lucas/) > [For war to man, like childbirth to women, is simplifying in its emotions and activities. All the real problems of life can be put…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pearl-s-buck/for-war-to-man-like-childbirth-to-women-is-simplifying-in-its/) [Pearl S. Buck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pearl-s-buck/) > [The only activity a cynic will find contagious is yawning, that is, with other people, at other people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/criss-jami/the-only-activity-a-cynic-will-find-contagious-is-yawning-that-is/) [Criss Jami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/criss-jami/) > [For the longest time, neuroscientists were forced to be passive observers of brain activity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gero-miesenbock/for-the-longest-time-neuroscientists-were-forced-to-be-passive/) Gero Miesenbock > [Enjoyment is not a goal, it is a feeling that accompanies important ongoing activity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-goodman/enjoyment-is-not-a-goal-it-is-a-feeling-that-accompanies-important/) [Paul Goodman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-goodman/) > [Once an activity has been socialized, it is impossible to point out, by concrete example, how men in a free market could better conduct…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonard-read/once-an-activity-has-been-socialized-it-is-impossible-to-point-out-by/) [Leonard Read](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonard-read/) > [“Fun is not an activity, it is a state of mind.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bryant-mcgill/fun-is-not-an-activity-it-is-a-state-of-mind/) [Bryant McGill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bryant-mcgill/) > [I have to consider everything I eat; I consider every activity I do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlie-kimball/i-have-to-consider-everything-i-eat-i-consider-every-activity-i-do/) [Charlie Kimball](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlie-kimball/) > [Almost all good businesses engage in 'pain today, gain tomorrow' activities.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlie-munger/almost-all-good-businesses-engage-in-pain-today-gain-tomorrow/) [Charlie Munger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlie-munger/) Browse all 3,263 Activity quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Play for young children is not recreation activity, It is not leisure-time activity nor escape activity. 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