Meeting Public Comments

Kelly McMahon [Individual]

Thank you members of the subcommittee for taking the time to hold a hearing on H.F. 2652. For the last nine years I have had to advocate to keep play in my Kindergarten classroom. Fortunately, my principal understands the importance of this time of my school day. Unfortunately, far too many of my colleagues are forced to deny their Kindergarten students childdirected play during their school day.The benefits of implementing childdirected play in Kindergarten enhances not only early reading and math skills, but the development of essential executive functioning skills that all business leaders want. In fact, childdirected play aligns extremely well with the Science of Reading. All current Kindergarten standards can be taught, practiced and assessed authentically through play. Since play engages so many parts of the brain at once, it takes fewer repetitions to master a skill. Please vote in favor of passage of H.F. 2652.Thank you for your time!

joe baldridge [Citizen of Linn County]

Im supporting HF 2652 because playbased learning is exactly what young kids need. Lets be honest no 5yearold is built for spreadsheets and standardized tests. They learn best by exploring, imagining, and occasionally turning a block tower into a structural engineering experiment gone wrong.This bill lets teachers use methods that actually work for young kids, not ones designed for adults who already drink coffee. HF 2652 is good for students, good for teachers, and great for keeping classroom chaos pointed in a productive direction.Please pass it Iowas youngest learners deserve a school day that matches how they grow.

Lara Quiles

I currently teach Kindergarten in Cedar Rapids. This is my fourth year of teaching Kindergarten. Our schedule, for some student who begin the year as young as 4 years old, is the EXACT same as it is for 5th grade. Our students are struggling because, at such a young age, they are wired for movement, novelty, exploration, and connection. They learn through play play isn't just a break. We are spending 2 hours a day on reading and math skills, when students are only able to sit and focus for maybe, by March, 10 or 15 minutes at a time. Behavioral issues are rampant and the lack of social skills usually taught, practiced, and learned through play are part of the problem.Please let the kids be kids let them learn through play, as is developmentally appropriate. One 30minute recess (broken up into two smaller chunks throughout the day) is not enough...and play isn't just a break. It is learning.

Tiffany Skaggs [Little Explorers Family Child Care]

So Sorry! I was using my phone. I will upload the document instead, as it was too long.

Kelsey Andersen [Bluffs little thinkers ]

Hello, I am writing in support of PLAY! As someone who has spent over 15 years working in early childhood educationas a classroom teacher, childcare director, and trainer supporting other early childhood professionals across IowaI have seen firsthand how critical play is to childrens development.Play is not separate from learningit is learning. When children engage in childled, developmentally appropriate play, they are building language, problemsolving skills, creativity, social relationships, and confidence. These experiences create the strong foundation that supports all future academic success. In the programs I have led and the hundreds of families I have worked with over the years, the environments where children thrive the most are those where exploration, imagination, and play are valued as essential parts of learning.It is concerning to see more and more young children placed in front of screens or in environments that are heavily adultdirected and focused on early