When we think about play, we usually think of FUN! Something that provides us amusement & recreation, the ability to function & move freely, and occupy oneself in an enjoyable, stress-free and relaxing way. However, 'Play' for infants and young children has been repeatedly defined and explained by many of the world's scholars and developmental theorists as 'a child's work'. What makes it so? In a nutshell, specialists view a child's play as 'work' primarily because it is crucial to a child's cognitive, physical, social and emotional development. It is truly the work of a baby to play and interact with their environment in order to learn and acquire new skills.
WHY PLAY?
babies & children learn by doing
play helps children acquire physical abilities
play is a basis for language development
repeated play activities helps to build memory
play provides opportunity for interactions with peers, toys and adults, which in turn teaches social/emotional behavior, coping, and adaptability
play is important for personality development
play feels good, creates joy, and is a way of relaxing from the day's busy schedule
EARLY DEVELOPMENT OF PLAY
0-8 months Explorative Play
single object play - one thing at a time
highly active sensory and motor systems
repetition - mastery of batting, reaching, grasping, shaking, banging, mouthing, dropping
cause/effect - when I do this, something else happens
early memory skill
8-15 months Representational Play
use of objects and toys become more purposeful
understanding what objects are for and how to use them - i.e. spoon, key, ball
more advanced memory and 'finding' skills
the beginning of language and identifying objects
spatial relationships are learned - container play predominates
15+ months Symbolic Play
play is more child directed
ideas have purpose and come to fruition (even if not exact!)
functional relationships are learned - using toys in a purposeful way
pretend play begins to develop
TIPS FOR SUCCESSFUL PLAY
choose the right time and place
match activity to mood
eliminate distractions ahead of time
use developmentally appropriate toys
let your child be the decision maker
learn your child's like and dislikes
learn what is motivating to our child
don't impose your own standards
observe your child's attention to the activity
talk to your child throughout playtime - keep phrases short, relevant, and positive
allow time for problem solving and creativity, but help out before frustration and loss of interest develops
encourage and praise your child, especially behaviors and actions - 'great squeezing!'
demonstrate activities and make sure your child understands 'the goal'
finish an activity before your child gets bored & loses interest
keep toys organized
rotate toy bins every several weeks so things are fresh and captivating
put closure on the activity - 'all done' and clean up
explore all senses during play
repeat learning activities often - children love to practice getting it right!
HAVE FUN!
