Before They Even Go To School, Kids Learn a Lot of Skills
from the World of Play
For children, play is naturally enjoyable. And since it is their
active engagement in things that interest them, play should be
child-led, or at least child-inspired, for it to remain relevant and
meaningful to them. Children at play are happily lost in themselves;
they are in their own realm of wonder, exploration, and adventure,
pulling parents in at times with a frequent “Let’s play, mom!” as an
open invitation into that world.
As early as infancy, children immerse themselves in play
activities with the purpose of making sense of the world around
them. Play gives children the opportunity to learn and experience
things themselves, which is vital for their development. Although
peek-a-boo games seem pointless to adults, tots are awed by the
surprise that awaits them as they see the suddenly emerging faces
of people they love.
Stages of Play
During toddlerhood, children experience a motor-growth spurt that
equips them to solitarily fiddle with anything they can get their
hands on – be it a construction toy or the box from where it came.
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Toddlers also love breaking into song, wiggling and jiggling to tunes,
and imitating finger plays they are commonly exposed to.
Preschoolers begin extending their play to involve others, whether
they bring others in at any stage of their game or they plan their
game and its players’ way ahead. Their physical and motor skills
allow them to widen their lay arena, from dramatic play to table
games to outdoor pursuits.
School-age children start appreciating organized play – such as
innovated songs and rhymes, games with rules, relays and other
physical activities, sports and projects that they can accomplish
over a certain time frame.
Play Perks
Why the big fuss about playing? Play benefits the child in
ways that might be a tad difficult for adults to imagine.
Play brings pure and utter joy.
A toddler who jumps into an empty box and runs around the house
‘driving a car’ shows the sheer happiness that play brings him or
her. When children are asked what they did in school and they
answer ‘play,’ it is a clear sign that these kids remember a feeling of
genuine joy that is captured in this four-letter word.
Play fosters socio-emotional learning.
What does a ten-month-old baby who shrieks at the sight of her
stuffed toy have in common with a ten-year-old boy who plays
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basketball with his friends? They both deal with their confidence as
they choose to embark on their play activities. At the same time,
they are displaying their independence in the decisions that they
make. These two children are also internalizing social rules in their
respective play situations: the baby waits patiently for her stuffed
toy to appear, while the school-age child has to contend with an
impending loss in a ball game.
Play hones physical and motor development.
Play often involves the use of the senses, the body, and the
extremities. When children play, they exercise their bodies for
physical strength, fluidity of movement, balance and coordination.
Perceptual-motor ability, or the capacity to coordinate what you
perceive with how you move, is an essential skill that preschoolers
need to develop. A three-year-old who is engrossed in digging,
scooping, and pouring sand into a container must match his or her
perception of the space in front of him or her with actual hand
movements, so that he or she can successfully fulfill the motor
activity.
Play facilitates cognitive learning.
Play is vital to the intellectual development of a child. We live in a
symbolic world in which people need to decode words, actions, and
numbers.
For young children, symbols do not naturally mean anything
because they are just arbitrary representations of actual objects.
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The role of play is for the child to understand better cognitive
concepts in ways that are enjoyable, real, concrete, and meaningful
to them. For instance, through play, a child is able to comprehend
that the equation 3 + 2 = 5 means ‘putting together’ his toy cars by
lining them up in his makeshift parking lot. When he combines 2
triangles to make a square during block play, or writes down his
score is a bowling game, the child is displaying what he knows
about shapes and numbers.
Through play, the child is constructing his or her worldview by
constantly working and reworking his understanding of concepts.
Play enhances language development.
Toddlers who are still grappling with words need to be immersed in
oral language so they can imitate what they hear. They benefit from
songs and rhymes that provide the basis for understanding how
language works.
When these tots are playing with toys, adults model to them how
language is used to label objects or describe an event. At play,
preschoolers use language to interact, communicate ideas, and
likewise learn from dialogues with more mature members of society.
Play encourages creativity.
Barney the dinosaur was right about using imagination to make
things happen. A lump of Play-Doh suddenly turns into spaghetti
with meat sauce and cheese; a small towel transforms into a cape
that completes a superhero’s wardrobe; and a tin can serves as a
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drum that accompanies an aspiring rock artist. Play opens an
entire avenue for children to express themselves, show what they
know and how they feel, and to create their own masterpieces.
Play provides bonding opportunities.
Play is an important factor in child development. It provides for
interaction, experimentation, and moral development. Here are
some ways by which parents can encourage and support their
children’s playtime.
Let your child be the player-leader. Let children initiate their
activity, set their own theme, choose the parameters where the play
will take place. Play becomes a venue for children to express their
feelings and be in control.
Help them help themselves. When your 5-year-old asks for help,
say, figuring out how to piece a puzzle together, stop yourself from
coming to her rescue and first ask your child questions that allow
him or her to help himself or herself. Say, “Where do you think this
piece should go?” Afterward, commend his or her success.
Play attention. Once you make a commitment to play with your
child, watch for the following signals: Does he or she want you to
actively play a part in the activity? Does he or she need
encouragement? Is he or she tired or hungry? Does he or she need
to take a break?
Have a play plan. If you seem to have little time for playing with
your child, consider using self-care chores to have fun with him or
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her. Also, get support from other people in your household, like
older siblings, household help, or the child’s grandparents, so that
they understand why play is important and how they should
continue to encourage it.
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