{"product_id":"free-to-learn-why-unleashing-the-instinct-to-play-will-make-our-children-happier-more-self-reliant-and-better-students-for-life-9780465084999","title":"Free to Learn: Why Unleashing the Instinct to Play Will Make Our Children Happier, More Self-Reliant, and Better Students for Life","description":"\u003cb\u003eA leading expert in childhood development makes the case for why self-directed learning -- \"unschooling\" -- is the best way to get kids to learn.\u003c\/b\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cb\u003e\"All kids love learning. Most don't love school. That's a disconnect we've avoided discussing--until this lightning bolt of a book. If you've ever wondered why your curious kid is turning into a sullen slug at school, Peter Gray's \u003ci\u003eFree to Learn\u003c\/i\u003e has the answer. He also has the antidote.\" --Lenore Skenazy, author of \u003ci\u003eFree-Range Kids\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cbr\u003e In \u003ci\u003eFree to Learn\u003c\/i\u003e, developmental psychologist Peter Gray argues that in order to foster children who will thrive in today's constantly changing world, we must entrust them to steer their own learning and development. Drawing on evidence from anthropology, psychology, and history, he demonstrates that free play is the primary means by which children learn to control their lives, solve problems, get along with peers, and become emotionally resilient. A brave, counterintuitive proposal for freeing our children from the shackles of the curiosity-killing institution we call school, \u003ci\u003eFree to Learn\u003c\/i\u003e suggests that it's time to stop asking what's wrong with our children, and start asking what's wrong with the system. It shows how we can act--both as parents and as members of society--to improve children's lives and to promote their happiness and learning.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eAbout the Author\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePeter Gray\u003c\/b\u003e is a research professor in the Department of Psychology at Boston College. The author of \u003ci\u003ePsychology\u003c\/i\u003e, a highly regarded college textbook, he writes a popular blog called \u003ci\u003eFreedom to Learn for Psychology Today\u003c\/i\u003e. He lives in Shrewsbury, Massachusetts.\u003cbr\u003e","brand":"Basic Books","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":50606706884882,"sku":"9780465084999","price":14.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0831\/4771\/8930\/files\/img_362a0308-c30e-4bfb-9118-4c92fa8c63fc.jpg?v=1732298408","url":"https:\/\/surprise-castle.myshopify.com\/products\/free-to-learn-why-unleashing-the-instinct-to-play-will-make-our-children-happier-more-self-reliant-and-better-students-for-life-9780465084999","provider":"Surprise Castle","version":"1.0","type":"link"}