Benefits of play in the Early years

Play is part of everyone’s life!

Play is part of everyone’s life!

Do you remember when you were a child and loved going out to play with your friends or waiting for recess to kick the ball, jump rope, or sing songs while trying not to mess up in the hand-clapping game? What games did you play? Who did you play with? How did you feel? Sometimes it even felt like time didn’t exist - you could spend hours playing the same game.

Playing means exploring, discovering, understanding, and having fun in most cases. When your children play, they learn about the world they live in, they learn from others, and from life itself.

Through play, they can experience different ways of being, ways of following rules, and even breaking them

Play is essential for human development. There are as many games as there are people in the world because all it takes is a bit of imagination and creativity to create a new game in seconds.

As a parent, you have the gift of being your child’s first playmate. When you play together, you create a bond of trust that helps them feel safe and nurtures secure attachment.

But what kinds of games can you play that actually help with their development?

Play should evolve as your children grow starting with simple games and moving on to those with more specific rules.

Some types of games you can share with your children include:

• Playing with objects like balls, building towers with large blocks, and knocking them down.
• Singing games with gestures and exaggerated movements using arms and legs.
• Pretend play or role-playing, which fosters symbolic thinking and the creation of experiences.
• Sorting objects by shape and color.
• Throwing balls, jumping, climbing, or sliding on playground equipment.
• Crawling is also a type of play that helps them understand and expand their sense of space.
• Inventing stories with simple but fun descriptions.
• Playing treasure hunts or giving clues to find hidden objects at home or while traveling somewhere.

The key to play is having a variety of activities that involve different skills. At the same time, keep in mind that too many toys can actually limit creativity, motivation, and the ability to enjoy play.

How do I know if I’m enjoying play?

According to Imma Marín, author of the book shall we play?, you can enjoy play depending on the attitude you bring to it. A playful mindset develops if:

• You use all your senses in what you are doing. You let yourself be surprised by what happens.
• You set control aside and decide to enjoy whatever comes.
• You get involved in play with passion.
• You turn difficulties into challenges.
• You take initiative and contribute to the game.

Put these ideas into practice when playing with your children and help them truly enjoy the experience. Make it a joyful moment celebrate their achievements, validate their mistakes without judgment, and guide them to build resilience and tolerance for frustration.

Through play, your children discover what they are capable of doing. It’s a great opportunity to nurture self-confidence and learning. That is why our students, from a very young age, explore, learn, solve problems, and experiment through play. Our teachers know that play is serious business and use it as an educational tool to prepare them for life beyond school.

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