Posted On: 2024-02-15 17:58:01
Play is often talked about as if it were a relief from serious learning. But for children, play is serious learning. Play is the work of childhood.” – Fred Rogers
Playing is a natural and pleasurable way for children to stay active, healthy, and happy. Free play promotes healthy development in children and adolescents. From birth to adolescence, they require a variety of unstructured play opportunities to maintain their physical and mental health and gain life skills. Play enhances children's and adolescents' cognitive, physical, social, and emotional well-being. Play helps youngsters learn about the world and themselves.
They also gain skills necessary for study, work, and relationships, such as:
Physical play such as running, skipping and riding a bicycle helps children develop:
Playing can help children develop their social skills with others. By listening, paying attention and sharing play experiences, this helps a child:
Parents should limit their children's screen time to allow them to engage in unstructured, freely selected play daily. The younger the child, the less time they should spend on digital gadgets.
Keep some times and spaces in the home free of technology, such as:
Do not use digital devices to distract or quiet your youngsters. Talk to your kids, play games, or read a book together. Join your children's screen time and discuss their online activities.
Play allows children to explore and express their feelings in a safe and supportive environment. Children learn to understand and manage their emotions through play, pretending to be superheroes, and participating in artistic endeavours. Play promotes resilience, creativity, and emotional intelligence, allowing children to manage the intricacies of their emotions as they mature.
Play, like adults' hobbies and recreational activities, helps children relax. It allows children to release extra energy and escape the stresses of school and other commitments. This break is essential for keeping a healthy balance and avoiding burnout, allowing youngsters to approach academic and extracurricular activities with renewed attention and excitement.
In a world that values academic performance, it is critical to recognise play's significant impact on a child's development. Playing is not a luxury; it is a necessity. It improves physical well-being, social skills, emotional resilience, and cognitive ability, laying the groundwork for a well-rounded and successful person. As parents, teachers, and carers, let us recognise the importance of play and offer children the time, space, and flexibility to explore, create, and just be kids. After all, in child development, play is where true learning occurs.
Filaantro along with Child Help Foundation strives to achieve both educational and co-curricular exposure to children. We hope this article will resonate with you all and will inculcate this in your and your children’s lives.
AUTHOR: ATHIRA PRADEEP NAIR
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