I love watching TED talks. Short, 7 minute or so, concise talks on many subjects, given by experts. If you haven’t watched any then go and search them out. There are over 3000 to choose from, with new talks every week.
One caught my attention today, and I thought I would share it with you.
It is a talk given by a 7 year old called Molly Wright. She talks about how important the first five years of a child’s life is, and how it can affect the rest of their life. One of the most important things that a child can do during those years is to interact with people, parents and other children, and to play. It is more than just a game to them, Molly explains.
I entertain at a great number of nursery and school reception shows, and it was only after watching Molly’s fascinating talk that I realised how important my shows could be in the development of my audience. They are playing, interacting, and talking as a community all the way through my show. Some children are invited to help perform the magic in front of everyone, which can also help to increase a child’s confidence. Live entertainment is essential in the development of children.
It might be just a magic show to you and I as adults, but I know that when I was a child, watching a single magic show had a profound effect on my future, and is probably one of the main reasons that I am who I am today, doing what I do.
As adults, we can all learn something from what Molly has to say, so I urge you to spend just over 7 minutes watching her amazing presentation. If you remember something that influenced you in your first five years, then please leave a comment below. I would love to hear about it.
