This book -- like the child care centers on which it is based -- is fun, funny, playful, and a great place to learn. What I like best is Jeff's and Denita's insight that little kids are in many ways like us bigger kids. They hate advice or help that they didn't ask for and don't need; they hate to be micromanaged; they love to make their own discoveries and solve their own problems; they are a lot more competent than most people think they are; and they learn best when they can chart their own learning paths. I recommend this book not just to early childhood professionals, but to all new parents as well. It will help you enjoy your kids, rather than worry about them.

Let Them Play: An Early Learning (Un)Curriculum is a book you should wrap your arms around and hold close to your heart. Don't let it out of your sight. It constantly reminds us that play is not just a conversation, but also a combination of beliefs and practices. This book is filled with current research on why play is so important. At the same time, it fills our hearts and minds with fun, creative, and child-friendly ideas that extend the curiosity of children.

It’s strange how the words, “Go play!” conjure up some of our happiest memories as kids—and our deepest fears as parents? If kids are just PLAYING, aren't they missing out on learning? The opposite is true, as Jeff Johnson and Denita Dinger deftly prove in this great read, which reminds us all that games and play aren't the empty calories of childhood—they're the vitamins, the vegetables, the protein, AND the sprinkles.