Do Children Need To Play?

This question is answered in the affirmative; children need to play for it provides them not only fun, but it is the way most children learn about who they are and how they fit into the world. I read a news article last week; the Australian guidelines regarding play for children were that babies below the age of 1 year need to have some physical activity in the form of floor play every day, while those up to the age of 5 years need to play at least 3 hours a day with some activity spread across the day, while those between 5 to 18 years need to have one hour of moderate to vigorous activity every day.

The importance of play made me explore further about why children should play; it is significant to note that play helps children to build confidence and learn a lot of physical skills. In addition it is play with your child that makes the child feel loved, happy and safe. Experience shows that children learn social skills and skills of communication and language with play. Play also helps children learn how to care for others and the environment. Again it is play that helps connect and refine pathways in his/her brain.

It is significant to understand that the play methods of a child changes with age; the mother is most important for a newborn’s play. Using objects like music, songs, bells or containers filled with different objects develops hearing and movement, while objects of different colors, shapes and sizes encourage reaching and grasping like, and objects like furniture, balls, toys and boxes encourage a child to crawl, stand and walk. Tummy time and floor help strengthen the head, neck and body muscles.

Children above the age of 1 years enjoy playing a lot of games; light and big things like cardboard boxes, blow-up balls or buckets encourage a child to run, build, push and drag, while chalk, rope, music and containers  encourages children to jump, kick, stomp, step and run. These children would enjoy hoops, boxes and pillows that help them to climb, balance, twist, sway and roll. You could also encourage your child above 1 year to crawl and explore by introducing him/her to hills, tunnels and nooks. 

Your child who is a little older, but yet to go to regular school would enjoy playing games to keep his/her mind going; he/she will enjoy imaginative and unstructured play with old milk containers, old clothes, empty pot plant containers, wooden spoons, sticks, scrunched-up paper, saucepans and plastic buckets. He/she would also enjoy making up music and dance concert with favorite CD’s pots and pans. Balls and Frisbees appeal to these children as they love to kick, roll and throw.

Don’t you agree that play is important for children?

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