Final answer:
The sentence compares an elephant's playful behavior to that of a child, emphasizing the universality of play among different species and ages.
Step-by-step explanation:
The sentence 'The elephant plays as much as a child' implies that elephants, much like children, enjoy playing and can exhibit playful behavior with great frequency. This comparison of an elephant's playfulness to that of a child's can bring to mind the joy and innocence associated with play. Similarly, the various anecdotes provided, such as the young child excitedly reading to his father or the little girl playing about the deck while her mother watches, underscore the natural inclination towards play across different species and ages.