In our busy, often hectic lives, it can be so difficult to work in quality play time with our children. The problem is, that to properly grow and learn, children need to engage actively in play. And in order to assure that our children are developing their necessary physical and emotional skills, we need to make some time to share in their activities.
Let's look at some of the benefits of playing together, for our children:
Physical Activity. While you want to let your child take the lead in choose what they do during play
time, you can help encourage them to choose healthy physical activities. If they want to play a game, suggest hide and seek, tag, or anything else that will get them up and moving. Physical play helps to support physical development. If a child sits in front of a T.V. all day, they’ll never develop the best balance, or other physical attributes as well as they should.
Parental Bonding. There is nothing more important in building a child’s self esteem and feeling of safety, than bonding with a parent. If a child learns to develop a trusting attitude with their parents, they’ll grow up to feel safer and more secure in the world around them. To you it might seem obvious, but for them, this time is about feeling loved, secure, and protected.
Self Expression. If allowed to direct their own play, a child will often reenact situations that he or she finds important in their lives. They may also use play time to vent emotional frustrations that may not be capable of verbalizing at this point in their development. By paying attention to your child’s behavior during play, you can determine what their concerns and frustrations are. And, once you know the problem, it’s a lot easier to deal with and maybe find some alternative solutions that your child needs.
While playing with your child is obviously beneficial to them, it can also help you out as well. Here are just a few of the benefits of playing with your son or daughter.
Getting Better Acquainted With Your Children. Many parents of teenagers say that they know little or nothing about their child. A good way to know them later on in life, is to begin the process of learning who they are while they’re still young, and then work to continually understand who they are as they grow older. Playing regularly with your children now, may actually help you worry less about them when they’re older.
Helps You to Relax. When children play, they create imaginary worlds and situations. If you are actively involved in your child’s imaginary worlds, it can help you forget the stress of the real world.
Promotes Your Own Physical Activity. We all know how hard it is to stay active when there are deadlines to meet, bills to pay, and everything else to do. If we strive to keep our children active through play, we will end up being active with them.
Playing with your child is as simple as setting aside a block of time everyday. It may be difficult to rearrange your schedule, but it will be well worth it for both you and your child, in the end.
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