Play is very important to children. It’s fun, of course, but it’s also part of how children learn and explore the world. As a parent, there are a few things that you should know about play.
Children Learn Through Play
You shouldn’t underestimate the value of play. Through games, children can learn and develop:
- Cognitive skills – such as math and problem solving when they play in a pretend grocery store
- Physical abilities – such as balancing books, and running outside
- New vocabulary – such as new words they learn when they play with toy animals
- Social skills – when they play with you or with other children
- Literary skills – such as creating a menu for an imaginary restaurant
Whether you prefer solid oak sideboards or plastic storage boxes, buy one, and fill it with toys and games that encourage these kinds of skills.
Play Is Healthy
Active play, such as playing outside, or playing games like Catch can help children to grow up strong and healthy. Being active through play counteracts obesity issues that face a lot of children today.
Play Reduces Stress
Play also works to help your children to grow emotionally. Playing is joyful, and it gives your children for any anxiety or stress that they might have.
Play Is More Than Meets The Eye
Play is something that is both very simple and complex. There are in fact many types of play that children engage in; including symbolic, sociodramatic, functional, and games with rules, to name just a few kinds. Lots of researchers will study the many different aspects of children’s play. They often study the way children learn through play, how outdoor play impacts the health of children, the effects of screen time on play, and the need of recess as part of the school day.
Make Time For Play
As a parent, you are the biggest supporter of your child’s learning, which means you need to support learning through play too. Make sure that your children have as much time as possible to play during the day in order to promote their cognitive, language, physical, social, and emotional development.
Play And Learning Go Hand-In-Hand
Don’t think of play and learning as separate activities. The two things are intertwined. It can help to think of the two as a science lecture with a lab. Play is your children’s lab, and they are always learning as they play.
Play Outside
Think back to your own experiences of playing outside as a child, like building forts, playing on the beach, sledding in the winter, or playing in the street with other neighborhood children. Help your children to create outdoor memories of their own too. Play outside together, buy outdoor toys, and encourage creative outdoor play, even if it gets a little messy.
Remember that when you were a child that play came naturally to you. Encourage your children to explore their own natural instinct to play. Give them the time to explore and see what they can come up with.