The importance of play is so widely recognized as critical to a child’s development that it is guaranteed by the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child. Playing is more than “just” fun. It builds cognitive, social, emotional and behavioral skills which children benefit from their whole lives.
Play as the Child’s Lab
Albert Einstein called play “the highest form of research.” From stacking blocks to building blanket forts, play gives children the chance to experiment with spatial relationships, language, math and more. In her article 10 Things Every Parent Should Know About Play, Dr. Laurel Bongiorno describes play as “the child’s lab.” There is a large body of research connecting play with early literacy and math skills. Play is essential to STEM studies and preparing our children for future science and tech careers.
More Time Together and More Mud Puddles
Watching children play, you’ll see that their minds, feelings and whole bodies are involved. And right from the start, play is often social. Think about games like peek-a-boo and upsy-daisy. Play allows us to connect, better understand the world, be creative, relieve stress and more. And play doesn’t require fancy toys or technology. Researcher Alison Gopnik explains, “The old standbys of water, sand, mixing bowls and cardboard boxes are still the most effective … the ideal enriched environment [for preschoolers] would include more mud and relatives.” So, get the family together to splash through some mud puddles.
Fostering Future Success
We’re hearing a lot these days about executive functioning. Executive function and self-regulation skills are described by the Harvard Center on the Developing Child as “the mental processes that enable us to plan, focus attention, remember instructions and juggle multiple tasks successfully.” In a recent ParentMap article, local parent educator Melissa Benaroya reminds us that, “It is actually through play that kids learn to regulate conflict, solve problems, become resilient, delay gratification and take turns. These are the skills our children need most to be successful in life.” Research continues to affirm the importance of play to a child’s development. Talk about compelling reasons to let our children play!
Learn more at our February 4th class, The Power of Play, taught by the outreach team of the UW Institute for Learning and Brain Sciences (I-Labs).
By Marjorie Schnyder
Marjorie Schnyder, LICSW, has been at JFS over 11 years as Director of Family Life Education. As well as providing education to teachers and parents, she has a child and family therapy background. Special interests include early childhood and the intersection of culture and family.
Feature image by Brittany Miller Martin.
