For our first expedition in this safari log, we will explore the importance of children’s play. Children’s play, is something that is often taken for granted. With all kinds of electronics to captivate a child’s attention, children often don’t get the essential fun that comes from running around and playing with other children and adult caregivers. For busy parents, electronics fill the void of play and are often used in the downtime between learning, eating and sleeping.
But when electronics are combined with a very “hurried and pressured state of development,” children miss out on essential things that allow them to develop mentally through a more natural form of play (Ginsberg). Play that utilizes movement and imagination is not only super fun and educational, it helps children learn and grow as toddlers and is essential to their development.
When a child uses their imagination and their body rather than sitting down and using electronics, they develop many important social skills, physical dexterity and learn the rules of the physical world. When children play with other children, they learn how to play fair and interact with their friends in ways that are socially acceptable. These are great ways on how to shape a toddler into an empathetic and responsible person. A child and their friends are in the process of developing skills with role-playing too. This prepares them for roles that they will have to perform later on in life.
When a child performs physical activities versus sitting down, they are building a strong body as well as a strong mind. A child who is active at a young age will be encouraged to be active later on in life and build “active healthy bodies” (Ginsberg). Childhood obesity is an active epidemic for young children and can be prevented by encouraging children to play in addition to eating healthy.
In addition, when a child plays on a playground or a play-place their body coordination improves as well. As they move along the equipment, they perfect their movements in order to successfully play. Not only are they having fun, they’re growing in physically healthy ways.
One of the most important and often overlooked parts of play is the healthy caregiver-child relationship that develops when a child plays with a trusted adult. A child is often granted the ability to take control of the game they play with an adult, allowing the adult to follow the leadership of the child instead. For a “small person” taking control of the games played with a “big person,” not only builds trust but gives the child a new leadership role. A child who plays with a caregiver and is allowed to take on the leadership role often gives them confidence and a new-found understanding of how the rules of play work.
In this safari, we’ve learned that growing and playing go hand in hand. It’s not only a way for children to let out all the energy they’ve built up, they’re becoming little scholars of play and the world around them. As toddlers, children are in a crucial stage of development and every hands on experience they get, will allow them to prosper and grow more. Let them have fun safaris on playgrounds and play-places and you will be amazed at how much your young explorers discover!
Tips from Tiger:
-Often trade roles between a parent and a child when you’re playing, let the child see from your perspective and try to understand theirs.
-Forty five minutes to an hour is the ideal amount of free play a young child should have a day. One hour of active play a day is known to reduce childhood obseity by 42%
-In addition, one hour of active play also reduces the symptoms of ADHD in a child.
-Children who perform active play and engage with others on playgrounds and playplaces have been shown to develop empathy for others and understand fair play better
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