| It has always been mistakenly assumed that play | | | | such as their concentration, persistence, problem |
| is a child's instinct and he can do it without adult | | | | solving efforts, inventiveness, cooperation and |
| assistance. Although very young children engage | | | | motivation during the play. Praise their |
| themselves in spontaneous child play, it is also | | | | achievements with enthusiasm and your good |
| noted that without adult intervention to stimulate | | | | encouraging statements will help reinforce these |
| early childhood development, this instinct gradually | | | | good social skills. |
| vanishes with time. | | | | 6. Encourage make-believe, fantasy and |
| Child play helps to build a close knitted relationship | | | | role-playing |
| between family members. Through play, parents | | | | Never disapprove imaginative play. Instead, |
| can assist their children in problem-solving as well | | | | parents should encourage this kind of play |
| as exploring their imaginations. It is also through | | | | because it helps your child to develop a variety of |
| play time that children learn to communicate their | | | | cognitive, emotional and social skills. Allow tables |
| thoughts, feelings and needs with the adults. They | | | | and chairs to become palaces and houses, and |
| are also exposed to social interaction skills where | | | | puppets to turn into friends or relatives. |
| they learn to take turns and be sensitive to | | | | Imaginative and fantasy play helps children to |
| others' feelings. However, it is indeed critical for | | | | think creatively and symbolically. It also teaches |
| parents to know how to child play with their | | | | them what is real and what isn't. |
| children and how to avoid the commonest pitfalls | | | | 7. Use descriptive commenting |
| when playing with children. | | | | Descriptive commenting is a running commentary |
| 1. Follow your child's lead | | | | on the children's activities and often sounds like a |
| Instead of imposing your own ideas, the first and | | | | sportscaster's play-by-play description of a game. |
| most vital step in playing with children is to follow | | | | By providing descriptive commenting, you show |
| their lead. Do not give commands or instructions, | | | | interest in your children's play and it also |
| instead, imitate their actions and follow what they | | | | encourages language development. |
| ask you to do. They will become more involved | | | | 8. Curb the desire to give too much help |
| and more creative in their play. This will foster the | | | | Parents who are too helpful may make it difficult |
| children to think independently and creatively. | | | | for their children to learn how to problem-solve |
| 2. Pace the play to suit your child | | | | and play independently. Parents can provide just |
| Children love to repeat the same activity over | | | | enough support, hints, praise and encouragement |
| and over again when they play. Parents are often | | | | to keep them working on the task. |
| bored by this kind of repetitive child play and | | | | 9. Give attention to play |
| tempted to hasten the pace by introducing new | | | | Parents naturally seize the opportunity when their |
| activity. The truth is that children need to practice | | | | children are playing quietly to take care of their |
| in order to master a skill and if they are forced | | | | own business such as preparing meals or reading |
| into a new activity, they often get frustrated and | | | | a book. This should not be advocated as the |
| may give up playing when they find the challenge | | | | children are not made to know how much they |
| too great. Remember to allow plenty of time for | | | | are appreciated for their quiet play. Instead, they |
| him to use his imagination, this slower pace will | | | | will interpret that only by misbehaving or playing |
| also help to expand his attention span and | | | | noisily, they will get their parents' attention. It is |
| cultivate his concentration. | | | | natural that a child will work for attention from |
| 3. Have realistic expectations | | | | someone he loves, whether it is positive (praise) |
| Avoid playing toys or concepts that are too | | | | or negative (scolding). If they do not receive |
| advanced for your child's level. You may think | | | | positive attention for appropriate behavior (e.g. |
| that your three-year-old is ready to complete a | | | | playing quietly), they will then work towards |
| 40-piece puzzle and as you try to teach him, you | | | | getting negative attention by misbehaving. This is |
| may find that he resists. This resistance is the | | | | the basic principle behind the development of |
| way he shows his frustration towards something | | | | behavioral problems in later life. |
| that he does not understand but is being asked to | | | | 10. Prepare them for the end of a play session |
| do. The right thing a parent should do when you | | | | Give your child gentle reminder 5 minutes before |
| notice that your child is not interested in playing is | | | | the end of the play session by telling him, "In a |
| to move on to something he does want to do. | | | | few minutes it will be time for me to stop playing |
| Allow time for your child to think, explore and | | | | with you." When five minutes have lapsed, say to |
| experience, do not worry even if a puzzle game | | | | him," Now it's time for me to stop paying. I |
| turns into a spinning game or a creative design. | | | | enjoyed this time with you and we can do it again |
| 4. Avoid power struggleMany parents | | | | tomorrow". You should then walk away and |
| unconsciously set up a competitive relationship | | | | ignore any pleading. Once the child learnt that he |
| when playing with their children. Consider a parent | | | | cannot manipulate you into playing longer periods |
| and a child playing building blocks. The child may be | | | | of time, the protests will subside. More |
| happily engrossed in getting the first wall of his | | | | importantly, when they realize that there is a |
| house done and when finally he does, he looks to | | | | regular play session every day, they'll have less |
| his parent for praise only to find that his parent | | | | need to protest since there will be another |
| has built a whole house. This makes the child feels | | | | opportunity to play the next day. |
| inadequate. He may also feels that he is involved | | | | It is important for parents to value children play |
| in a competition with his parent and may finally | | | | and fun activities as not only they can help can |
| give up playing as he isn't equipped to win. He | | | | help to foster their self-esteem, their social, |
| may also resort to other ways of getting control | | | | emotional and cognitive development would also |
| of the situation, such as having a tantrum. | | | | be enhanced. By following these 10 tips on |
| 5. Praise and encourage creativity | | | | effective child play, you will help your child to try |
| Do not judge, correct or contradict your children | | | | out their imaginations, explore the impossible, test |
| while playing with them. The process of creating | | | | their new ideas, make mistakes, solve problems, |
| and experimenting with them together are what's | | | | be creative and gradually gain confidence in their |
| important and remember that child play does not | | | | own thought and ideas. This ultimately helps your |
| have to make sense to you. Cars can fly and | | | | child to develop into a unique, creative and |
| animals can talk. Instead, focus on the socially | | | | self-confident individual. |
| appropriate things that your children are exhibiting, | | | | |