| Play is universal throughout the animal kingdom - | | | | something they know they can do well, at which |
| whether it's a puppy chasing its tail, or young birds | | | | they can be successful. |
| swooping through the air. The importance of play | | | | Play builds social skills. Children will begin playing |
| to youngsters should not be underestimated. Play | | | | with inanimate and non-threatening objects, like |
| is an essential part of growing up and researchers | | | | cuddly toys, bricks etc, so practising their |
| believe it's critical to ensure children reach their full | | | | interactive skills. Later, playing with other children |
| potential in life. Research in animals show that | | | | will build on this foundation as they learn to share, |
| brain connections develop during periods of play, | | | | take turns, assert themselves and begin to |
| and there's no reason to suppose the same is not | | | | empathise with others. |
| true of young humans. Parents don't always | | | | The importance of play with parents shouldn't be |
| understand the importance of play however, and | | | | underestimated either, as research shows that |
| in today's competitive world, the temptation is to | | | | children whose parents play with them ultimately |
| stop your children "wasting time" and to put the | | | | develop superior social skills. |
| time to what they believe is more constructive | | | | Play also provides the opportunity for children to |
| use. | | | | work out their feelings. The importance of play in |
| For a child, however, there is no more | | | | dealing with difficult or unpleasant emotions is |
| constructive activity than play. When analysing the | | | | immense. A child who's worried about going to the |
| importance of play, particularly if you're tempted | | | | dentist, for example, may deal with the anxiety |
| to introduce a more "worthwhile" activity such as | | | | by setting up a clinic for dolls with toothache. |
| flash cards, educational computer games or | | | | Play helps with language development. Think of |
| dancing lessons, you should take into account the | | | | the vast number of words a toddler uses during |
| following points: | | | | play, many of them repeatedly, enhancing their |
| Play allows a young child to be "in charge." Think | | | | language skills. |
| about this - in their everyday lives, they're small | | | | Play allows children to grow beyond their years. |
| and powerless, always being told what to do, and | | | | They can pretend to be all sorts of things in play |
| how to do it. Without an adult around, they're | | | | - a doctor, a surgeon, a civil engineer even !!(think |
| running the show! | | | | of those bricks) |
| Play helps children learn about the world in which | | | | Finally, don't forget to consider the importance of |
| they live. They can investigate and discover, test | | | | play in stimulating your child's creativity and |
| their theories, spatial relationships, explore cause | | | | imagination - making a castle in the sand, or a car |
| and effect, societal roles and family values. Such | | | | garage out of a shoe box, taking an order in their |
| is the importance of play, that there's virtually no | | | | own (imaginary) restaurant or dressing up as a |
| area of life about which it can't teach a child | | | | king or queen - these all allow children to stretch |
| something. | | | | the limits of their world and experience the fun in |
| Play builds self-esteem. Children will often play at | | | | make-believe. |