Why is Play Important for Your Child?
From the earliest stages of life, children learn through play because it is fun. Play promotes social/emotional skills; children can get very creative and imaginative during play. Children are constantly using their fine and gross motor skills through play. Cognitive skills are also developed; children learn concepts, objects, and solve problems while doing numerous activities. Play lets your child experience and learn about the world.
It’s good to promote play in and around your house. Taking your child to community events and centers is also a good way to show different opportunities. If your community centre has a pool, you can go swimming with your child. You can look into public skating times and go with your child. Signing your child up for community Soccer
leagues can also help your child learn team play (it doesn’t have to be Soccer in particular).
Here are some ways to Encourage Play:
Encourage children to talk about what they are doing
Make sure your child is in the playing mood
Provide safe areas where there can be different opportunities
Expose your child to other people and children, example the park
Have a variety of toys and games and rotate them regularly
There are appropriate activities for infants, toddlers, pre-schooler’s, and primary aged children. Here are some appropriate play activities for your child (each age group):
Infants
Rattles (you can play also)
Finger plays; Pat-a-cake, If your happy
Puppets
Rain Bath (plastic bottle with holes filled with water)
Pop Goes the Parent (like jack in the box)
Toddlers
Tube Talk (paper towel tubes)
Red Light, Green Light (you say commands)
Bake Cookies (could use numerous cookie cutter shapes)
Sticker Fun
Buried Treasure (great for your toddler at the beach)
Pre-Schooler’s
Scribble Scrabble (plain white paper and crayons)
Hide the Music (wind-up toy, like hide and seek)
Story-teller...