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Children spend the vast majority of their waking hours at play. Yet play is not simply a way for children to pass time. Instead, it is an important way for children to learn about their world and develop emotionally, socially and intellectually.
From the survey What Grown-Ups Understand About Child Development.
What is Play?
Play is whatever a child wants it to be. There's no one way to play; what matters is that a child is given safe toys in safe places and is encouraged to experiment.
Play is one of the primary ways a child discovers her world. It allows her to explore and express herself, to learn on her own, control her environment, connect with other people and make sense of her surroundings.
Play is a form of communication. From birth, playful, loving interaction between an infant and caregiver teaches a baby to trust and builds a strong, secure relationship between a baby and his caregiver. A caregiver's smile, touch and affection are a playground for a baby.
From the book Understanding Children.
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Helping a Child at Play
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Jump right in. Playtime with a caregiver is invaluable. Whether you talk baby talk or bounce a toddler on your knee, you are building the foundation of strong, trusting relationships and are helping him to become a happy and loving person. |
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Forget the rules. Toys and games have possibilities beyond their intended use, and they greatly affect a child's imagination, skills and development when played with creatively. Explore freely and encourage a child to make believe. |
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Think more like a child. Add to a child's play experiences by creating imaginative games and new ways to use his toys. Use blocks as flying cars or pretend to be a zoo animal. |
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Take a break. Although children often learn the most when they interact with others, solitary play gives a child time to process and understand everything that he has been doing. Watch the child. If he is happy, leave him alone. If he seems bored, help him find a new way to play. |
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Participate enthusiastically. By becoming involved wholeheartedly in a child's play and going along with her games, you encourage her imagination and ability to make believe. By taking her play seriously, you help her feel important about herself. |
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Let a child guide his play. Let a child pick the activitiy and decide how it is played. When he is ready to move on to another game, he will let you know. Pay attention to the child's mood and adapt the play accordingly. This will help him feel comfortable and give him confidence to learn. |
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Watch out for over-stimulation. Over-stimulation can be as much of a problem for a child as under-stimulation. It's important to stop playing when your child has lost interest. And he'll tell you when he's had enough — he'll disengage, turn his head, or start to cry. |
From the book Understanding Children.
From the video Begin with Love.
What ways have you made play more meaningful?
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Don't restrict playtime to a certain time of day or location. Opportunities to play with a child are everywhere — while riding in a car, between scheduled activities or while waiting fro a meal to be ready. All you need to do is recognize the opportunity and take advantage of it.
Download our song sheet for the words and hand motions to favorite children's songs and rhymes.
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