I don't mean to be flip, but this is obvious to anyone that has kid(s). Watching them observe and test and learn (and giving them the space to do so) is one of

I don't mean to be flip, but this is obvious to anyone that has kid(s). Watching them observe and test and learn (and giving them the space to do so) is one of the great joys of my life. That said, I also see how once children reach a certain age, some parents to become obsessed with the speed of learning, and try to introduce instructed learning with the hope it will work faster, better, and teach them to read faster, etc. This is a good article that gently encourages allowing children continued space to learn through observation and experimentation with their environment and surroundings. There is a place for instructed learning, but it is not the only way of learning, and for younger children at least, definitely not the most important.