The importance of play in early childhood development

All infants, toddlers and children wish to play. Play takes many forms, from shaking a rattle to peek-a-boo to hide-and-seek. A child can play by himself or with other children or adults. But do you know the importance of play to the development and progress of a baby? Beneath are 15 reasons why play is important during early childhood development.

1. Children learn through play.

Play nurtures development and fulfills a baby’s inborn need to learn. Play enables kids to understand things about the world and to discover information essential to learning. Parents, caregivers and educators can all facilitate this learning through play by making sure that suitable activities, educational toys and environment are available to the children.

2. Play helps children to develop their thinking and reasoning skills.

Thinking and reasoning skills are at work at any time when a child engages in some sort of play. Through play, children can learn about colors, counting, the best way to build things, and tips on how to resolve issues.

3. Play lays the groundwork for literacy.

By means of play young children can be taught to make and practice new sounds. They are attempting out new vocabulary, on their own or with acquaintances, and widen their imagination by means of storytelling.

4. Play is essential to fine and gross motor skills development of a child.

Play strengthens and refines various forms of motor skills, and helps to build stamina and strength. Sensory learning develops more often than not by means of play. Play is important to physical progress in that without it the body could not develop and improve normally.

Leeroy sensory play, playing with our expired oatmeal, his construction toys and dinosaurs water magic capsules

 

5. Children makes sense of their environment out of playing.

Kids and children possess a normal curiosity. They, discover, gain knowledge of and make experience out of their environment by taking part in various forms of play.

6. Play helps social progress.

Children learn to empathise with other people, sharing, collaboration, team work and following of rules. It helps kids to be taught the principles of social interaction which will greatly aid them in their relationships with people. Babies who play well together are ready to work well with each other, which interprets into good social competencies.

7. Play makes a child smarter.

Playtime and interacting with toys are the most important ways through which kids gather many fundamental skills. Think about how a little one enjoys a race car set. He is actively learning about various parts of the cars, about how wheels function, learn how to utilize the race tracks and even how gravity works. When he sort out those vehicles, he may also learn about colours, numbers, sizes and shapes too.

 

8. Play fulfils various needs of a child that includes a sense of achievement.

It helps them in developing a great sense of self awareness and satisfy their emotional needs. They gain knowledge about fairness, through role playing, obtained insight on the right ways of displaying emotions such as stress, fear, anger, frustration, and develops knowledge of how they can manage their feelings.

9. Play teaches the adults to be patient and understanding towards their children.

Should you decide to join on your little one’s play be certain that you don’t attempt to take it over and force your learning goals into the children’s play. There are time and place for structured grownup-led learning activities. Adults can help to facilitate play by means of giving children the opportunity to interact in play, by means of figuring out when not to intervene, and by means of understanding when to intervene. Do permit time for the kids to manage and make decision on their own during play.

10. Play is a good indicator of health.

A sick child does not have the interest nor attention span to play. Such a child may only want to be read to or hold a favourite cuddly toy for comfort instead. When sickness is off the acute phase, the child’s energy and attention span to play returns.

11. Play allow children to practise decision making.

Children get to hone their decision making skills when they get to make choices during play. Parents and caregivers can support this by providing sufficient toys or activities suitable for their age group for them to choose from.

12. Play allow children the opportunity for self-expression.

Children can be provided with blank paper and crayons to draw picture to express their feelings or things they know. Different types of toys and materials can be provided whereby children can choose to play what they find will express themselves the best.

Instead of letting Leeroy play with our handphone games, we do Origami (Paper Folding) and art crafts with him for quality bonding time.

13. Play allow the toddlers and young children space to discover themselves.

When young kids are offered space for them to practice their balancing, physical movement, these help them to explore their abilities and limits.

14. Play enables the adults to bond and understand the children better through learning the children’s body language while playing.

To realize when you should incorporate yourself to your children’s play is essential.

15. Play is enjoyable.

Learning to play well, both via themselves and with others, gear the kids up to be contented, happy, positive and sociable.

   

So do support your children in their play!  🙂

Let them draw, color pictures, build a tent in the middle of the room and pretend to be camping. Join the children in creating a city out of building blocks, creating stories with simple Origami and simple Crafts. The possibilities are never-ending! And as we all know, childhood is fleeting, so let your children experience and enjoy being young!

 

Sources:

http://childdevelopmentinfo.com/development/encouraging-play-encourages-a-childs-development/

http://www.literacytrust.org.uk/talk_to_your_baby/news/2332_10_reasons_why_play_is_important

http://edition.cnn.com/2011/HEALTH/01/31/play.babies.smarter.parenting/

http://raisingchildren.net.au/articles/why_play_is_important.html