The Importance Of Play with children and playing at different ages

The Importance Of Play with children and playing at different ages | With all that busy parents have to do, it sometimes might be easy to forget to sit down and play with your children. The purpose of this article is to extol the importance of play to children’s development and to give parents some tips on games and activities. Parents are the first and most important teachers that children will ever have: children learn more from their parents than from anyone else.

In school they learn about history, math, science, and so on, but from parents they learn about getting along with other people, how to treat people they love, how to deal with their emotions, and even how to learn.

The Importance Of Play with children!

From the games and activities that parents and children do together from the time they are babies until they are teenagers, children learn things like: how to focus on what’s important, to pay attention and follow directions, and how to take small steps to work toward larger goals.

They can learn patience, persistence, and a desire to learn-all from playing with their parents. When parents and children play games that help children learn rules, working towards goals, and working with others, studies have shown that children tend to get better grades in school and get in less trouble.

Playing together;

Playing together also helps build strong bonds between parents and children. When there is a strong parent-child bond. Children feel safe to go out and explore the world. This makes them better prepared to learn, get along with others. And develop high self-esteem. Children who feel secure in their relationship to their parents also do better in school. Later in life those with secure relationships may be more likely to listen to their parents’ advice And to trust that advice.

When this happens, children and parents can stop getting along well. And may not develop strong bonds. Playing games together is a great way to spend time with each other in a positive way. Establishing a strong bond early will make the relationship between parent and child stronger. And healthier long after the child is grown, and may carry over into adult children’s relationships with their own children.

Children’s play at different ages;

Infants love looking at faces. Pictures of faces are good, but actual moving, talking faces are better. With children younger than 6 months, good games are very simple ones like, peekaboo. Or hiding a toy under a blanket and taking it out again. You must do these activities quickly, though. Because if your face or a toy is hidden for more than a second or two. Very young infants will lose interest. Infants enjoy anything that gives them a gentle surprise. Such as a sound or motion in response to something they do.

By 18 months, children enjoy toys such as crayons, pretend tools, push button toys. And very simple puzzles. Puzzles are especially good for bringing parents and children together. And for developing children’s problem solving skills. Children can learn a lot about how to figure things out when parents give them just enough help so that they can figure it out. But not so much that parents do the activity for them. At this age, children are starting to use language more and enjoy songs, books and rhymes.

The Importance Of Play with children. Funny plays with children;

Songs and finger plays really keep children this age entertained, and can teach them new words and introduce them to counting and numbers. I’ve included two examples of songs and finger plays at the bottom of this article. For infants and toddlers, keep numbers below three or they will lose interest.

Older pre-schoolers enjoy songs and finger plays also. But as they get older the songs need to get more complicated. Puzzles should get more difficult, too. And helping them with puzzles that are just a little harder than they could do by themselves is still a great way to teach them how to solve problems. Older children also need and enjoy physical activity. Such as running and jumping, chasing, hide. And go seek, tag, and other fun outdoor games.

Pre-schoolers plays,

Playing these kinds of games with your children can help bring you together as well as let you both get some exercise. Pre-schoolers also love to pretend. So take their lead and be the characters they want you to be as they direct a game of make believe.

Elementary age children enjoy simple card or board games. Hide and seek, sports activities, or projects that you can work on together. As children grow older their interests and preferred activities tend to vary more widely. So the best way to find out what your child would like to do for fun is to ask! The kinds of activities you do together at this age will probably affect the things you do together when they are teenagers as well.

The Importance Of Play with children. Keep up with their interests;

Keep up with their interests and activities as your children grow. When you show interest in who they are and what they enjoy doing. They will be more likely to want you to participate in these activities with them. If you adolescent is learning a new sport, learn it with them. Or offer to help them practice if you are already proficient. Be wary of intruding on their space. Though; adolescents will want to participate in some activities on their own. This is an important part of their development as they are learning to become independent adults.

If you find that you and your adolescent are spending very little time together. However, and don’t seem to have much in common. Discuss your concerns and try to find a new sport. Or activity that you can learn to do together. For this to succeed, you’ll need to keep an open mind. And be willing to try something new!

 Songs and Finger Plays;

“5 Small Ducks”

5 Small ducks went out one day (wave five fingers). Over the hills and far away (hand bounces away)

When Mommy Duck went quak, quak, quak, (quacking gesture with hand)

Only 4 Small ducks came back (hand comes back w/ 4 fingers)

(continue as above with: 4, 3, 2, 1, no little ducks came back)

Mommy Duck went out one day, over the hills and far away,

When Mommy Duck went quak, quak, quak. All the Small ducks came back!

“The Grand Old Duke of York”

The grand old Duke of York. He had ten thousand men (if standing, march; if sitting, swing arms)

He marched them up to the top of the hill. (stand up tall; or crawl fingers up child’s arm if sitting).

And he marched them down again (squat low or crawl fingers back down)

And when you’re up, you’re up (go back up). So when you’re down you’re down (back down)

But when you’re only half way up. (stand at medium height or move fingers to elbow).

You’re neither up (go back up) nor down. (go back down-sit all the way down if you were standing).