Children's play: Reading answers

Brick by brick, six-year-old Alice is building a magical kingdom. Imagining fairy-tale turrets and fire-breathing dragons, she is creating an enchanting world. Although she is not aware of it, this fantasy is helping her capacity for creativity and problem-solving. When she bosses him around as his teacher, she is practising how to regulate her emotions through pretence. Later on, when they tire of this and settle down with a board game, she is learning about the need to follow rules and take turns with a partner. Researchers say all this variety is one of the highest achievements of the human species. International bodies like the United Nations and the European Union have begun to develop…