What are the benefits of play?

Play is replenishing and exuberating! All babies and children should be encouraged to participate in regular active play every day.Regular active play helps kids to develop a lifelong habit of daily exercise and life skills of communication and social skills, an understanding of social rules, friendships, a sense of ‘give and take’, patience and perseverance, an understanding of others, teamwork and a sense of belonging.Play can be equated to learning.

There are many Developmental benefits of playing. These include the following.

Cognitive development

1. Creativity
2. Abstract thinking
3. Imagination
4. Problem-solving
5. Social cognition, empathy, perspective-taking
6. Mastering new concepts

Affective development

1. Self-confidence
2. Self-esteem
3. Anxiety reduction
4. Therapeutic effects

Social development

1. Sharing
2. Turn-taking
3. Conflict resolution
4. Leadership skill development (control of impulses and aggressive behavior)

See a video related to How to play to improve speech

Physical development

1. Gross motor experiences
2. Fine motor experiences
3. Physical challenges
4. Self-help skills

Attentional development

1. Attention regulation
2. Concentration
3. Persistence

Language development

1. Communication skills
2. Vocabulary boost
3. Story telling skills
4. Emergent literacy

Emotional benefits of play are

1. Enjoyment, fun, love of life
2. Relaxation, release of energy, tension reduction
3. Self-expression

Educational benefits include

1. Providing a meaningful context for children to learn concepts and skills;
2. Making learning fun and enjoyable;
3. Encouraging children to explore and discover together and on their own;
4. Allowing children to extend what they are learning;
5. Encouraging children to experiment and take risks;
6. Providing opportunities for collaborative learning with adults and peers;
7. Allowing for the practice of skills.
8. Playing alone can teach your child the art of living and survival.

Allow your kids to explore their environment and strengthen their inner skills through constructive playing.