Make Time to Play

The Role of Play in Your Child’s Development

“Make Time to Play” are four words which are so important for a child’s development physically and emotionally.   Experts believe that play is a vital part of a child’s development.

Play allows for many opportunities for children to keep active and be happy to learn and develop. We all know that children love to play, especially pretend play and games with rules. However, did you know that it’s not just for fun, it’s a vital part of how they grow and develop. Playing enhances learning, assists in language development, improves speech, and vocabulary. Whether they play alone, dreaming up role play characters or playing a board game with friends. Children do a lot of talking and listening while playing and this provides opportunities for social interactions and social skills.

Playing helps build self confidence through a safe experience of playing at their own development level and outlook. Whether playing on their own or in a group, the benefits of play allows children to explore, question and learn.   It gives a child a sense of adventure and encourages them to take calculated risks. Through this they can learn essential lifelong skills such as problem solving, working with others, sharing, and learning how to cooperate to achieve a common goal.  Plenty of play in childhood makes happier, healthier and more successful adults.

During play a child experiences the world and discovers how they interact with it. Explore the benefits of play and find out how to encourage playtime experiences which enrich and build lifelong learning.

What Children learn through play

Social Development

Children develop their social skills while playing with others, by listening and sharing their play ideas.

Play provides children opportunities to explore their feelings, they will learn how to express themselves and also develop self-discipline.

Children will develop problem solving skills – negotiation and conflict resolution.

Play teaches children how to make friends and nurture new relationships.

Emotional Development

Playing encourages positive feelings and supports the growth of inner strength, self control and resilience.

Play is a natural stress reliever – reducing stress in children will help them learn to control any anxiety or fears.

Learning how to win and lose and understand rules is an important lesson for life.

Cognitive Development

Learning to play has a positive effect on the brain and a child’s ability to learn. In fact learning to play is crucial for a child to learn.

Engaging in play activities encourages children to develop language and communication skills. 

Allowing children to choose their own play activities and ideas, encourages them to express their own choices in words and thoughts freely.

Play can build children’s confidence and self-esteem, they learn how to make good choices and decisions.

Physical Development

Physical play activities supports the development of strength, balance, co-ordination, fine and gross motor skills. 

Physical play is a great way for a child to burn energy and will assist in developing a good eating and sleeping routine.

Ideas for Play Activities

Social Development:   Board games, role play, card games, story telling, team games, play fighting and play dates.

Emotional Development: Pretend play, making dens with blankets and cushions, risky play, rope swinging, balancing and group activities.

Cognitive Development:  Jigsaw puzzles or matching games, creative play, making puppets, crafting kits, writing stories and drawing or painting.

Physical Development:  Hopscotch, skipping, tag or “it”, ball games, dancing, climbing trees, hiking, exploring nature, riding bikes or scooters and swimming.