The Importance of Playing With Your Kids

Play is generally defined as activity engaged in for enjoyment, pleasure, or recreation. For an infant or toddler, play is an integral part of promoting healthy development! Children learn through play.

Children play to pass the time.  Through play, children learn academic skills like maths, science, reading, language and literacy. They learn social skills like effective communication, conflict resolution, problem solving and cooperation. Maybe most importantly, they learn about themselves – they get to know their personalities including their likes and dislikes, strengths and interests. Through play, children learn where they fit in in the world.

Children have to develop a variety of skill sets to enhance their development and manage toxic stress. Research has proven that developmentally appropriate play with parents and peers is an opportunity to promote the social-emotional, cognitive, language, and self-regulation skills that can build executive function and a prosocial brain. Play also helps to support the formation of the safe, stable, and nurturing relationships with all caregivers.

Play improves brain structure and function as well as promotes executive function (ie, the process of learning, rather than the content), which allow us to pursue goals and ignore distractions.

Play gives an opportunity for you to demonstrate to your child aspects important for healthy attachment, such as unconditional love; safety; that they are heard, seen, and valued; and that they will be comforted and supported when needed (Brown & Elliott, 2016).

A relevant example is when a parent and toddler enjoy putting together a simple puzzle of animal-shaped pieces; while fitting the pieces into the puzzle, they giggle as they make silly animal sounds. When the child becomes frustrated by not being able to fit a piece, the parent patiently reassures the child with gentle words and loving touch. Through this, the loving interaction with this parent comforted the child and built skills for emotional regulation.

In addition, play provides opportunities to share your culture and values. Doing this can help build your child's sense of belonging while also moulding pro-social beliefs (e.g., respect for diversity, compassion, and honesty).

Written by: Tan Poh Ching

11/2024

References

Murzyn, S. (2021, July 6). The power of play, part 1: Stages of play. Michigan State University Extension. https://www.canr.msu.edu/news/the_power_of_play_part_1_stages_of_play

Penn State Extension. (n.d.). Play is purposeful. https://extension.psu.edu/play-is-purposeful

Yogman, M., Garner, A., Hutchinson, J., Hirsh-Pasek, K., & Golinkoff, R. M. (2018). The power of play: A pediatric role in enhancing development in young children. Pediatrics, 142(3), e20182058. https://doi.org/10.1542/peds.2018-2058