Play is extremely important for children and their development. There are many reasons behind this that every parent should know about. Continue reading to find out what the benefits of preschool play and play, in general, are for your kids.
Children’s Development and Playing
Here are some reasons why pretend play can benefit the development of your child.
- Learning – One of the main reasons why children can develop from playing is because they actively learn while they play. Children can develop physical abilities, cognitive skills, social and literacy skills, and develop new vocabulary all from playing. This type of play can involve solving math problems, building blocks, playing with other children, and coming up with a pretend menu for a restaurant.
- Diminishes stress and is healthy – Not only does playing help diminish stress in children, but it is also a healthy activity to participate in. That is because playing helps children advance and become strong individuals. It is healthy because it reduces a child’s risk of developing obesity. Playing also helps children release anxiety and stress and fuels their emotional growth.
- Different types of play – Children can play in a variety of ways, including functional, sociodramatic, and even symbolic.
As parents, you should strive to set aside time just for your children to play. You play a big role in helping your child learn new things. During the day, you can switch up their learning and make sure that they participate in a mixture of activities to ensure they continue to grow and develop physically, cognitively, emotionally, and socially.
As mentioned above, when kids play, they learn. This is comparable to participating in a science lab project. Don’t forget to switch it up a little and take your child outside to play as well. Children can also partake in many activities outside to help them learn, including building sandcastles on the beach, sledding down a hill in the winter, and interacting with other children nearby.
Most importantly, don’t forget to allow your children time to play. This means you should trust your instincts and understand they are capable once they are given a chance to do just that. Playing allows children to develop new skills that cannot be learned through just doing a simple worksheet. For instance, if your child is participating in pretend play as a waitress at a restaurant, they are learning as they are creating prices for the items on their menu, placing orders, and using a cash register.
