Dear Friend,

From an early age, Koko used play as a way to explore, learn, and connect. In the above footage, she engages with blocks and interacts with me before focusing on a new challenge — retrieving a treat from a container.

These scenes highlight the building blocks of Koko’s cognitive development: dexterity, shared attention and problem-solving — skills that lay the foundation for language by linking words, gestures, and meanings through social interaction.

Play wasn’t just a pastime for Koko, it was an essential part of how she grew into such a remarkable communicator.

Thank you for watching!

Conservation through Communication

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