The benefits of play in child brain development

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Jesse Ilhardt |

TED-Ed

• November 2025

A little bit of playtime can have big benefits for a child's developing brain, but adult participation is a crucial ingredient for best results. Early-education leader Jesse Ilhardt makes the case for you to put down the phone, pick up the make-believe tea cup (or that blanket-superhero cape) and take the time to experiment with imagination during kids' most formative learning years. [Directed by Sinan Göksel, Studio Big Box, music by Salil Bhayani, cAMP Studio].