The Value of Play in Young Children

Despite its numerous advantages, play is rarely associated with learning, despite the fact that many parents intuitively understand the value of play in children’s development.

Most people define learning as mastering a certain new skill, such as memorising an alphabet, counting, writing, etc. They frequently think that playing is just for enjoyment and has no educational value.

Play is crucial to development because it supports children’s and youth’s cognitive, physical, social, and emotional health. Play also provides a fantastic opportunity for parents to interact fully with their kids. Even while play is good for kids and parents, some kids no longer have as much free time to play as they once did. In this paper, a number of causes that have decreased play are discussed, including a hurried lifestyle, changes in family structure, and a focus on academics and enrichment programmes at the expense of recess or unstructured, unpaid play for children. This study provides recommendations on how paediatricians should speak up for kids by encouraging families, educational institutions, and local governments to think about how to protect play while pursuing a healthy balance.

Your child’s learning and development revolve around play. Your child can learn in a variety of ways and at different times when they are playing.

Your child will benefit from play in the following ways:

• Create confidence
• Comprehend more about how the world operates; build social, linguistic, and communication skills; learn about taking care of people and the environment; and develop physical skills.

How children’s play develops

Your child’s attention span, physical ability, and playing style will all change as they become older. The creativity and experimentation of your youngster with toys, games, and concepts will increase. This could imply that kids require more room and time to play.

Additionally, as they mature, youngsters transition through many sorts of play. This includes playing by yourself, playing with other kids, and playing cooperatively with kids.

Examples of values-based play

Play gives kids the chance to exercise their imaginations to the fullest. They are able to put themselves in other people’s situations and view the world differently.

Cooperation and compromise are required when kids play together or even merely use the same play area.

Participating in competitive play, such as team sports, can aid kids in growing in awareness, acceptance, and coping mechanisms.

Playing in nature is not only a lot of fun, but it also teaches kids to have compassion for all living things.

If your kid isn’t interested in playing

There may be instances when your child is not interested in playing. By practising the same thing for too long, people could grow weary or bored. This is typical and typically not a cause for concern.

But occasionally, a child’s lack of play or lack of interest in play may indicate a developmental issue.

When should you think about seeing a health expert or your child’s teacher?

Unlike peekaboo, your infant doesn’t seem to like participatory play.

Your kid either uses toys ineffectively or has a very limited interest in them. For instance, your youngster prefers to spin the wheels of a toy automobile rather than use it to travel.