Parents

Why play with your child? There are so many reasons why you should play with your children. Here are a few: Play offers an outlet for both child and parent to engage, to connect to learn and to blow off steam. Play promotes healthy relationships. Providing children with one-on-one play opens the door to explore ideas and concepts as well as social skills. It allows for you to have quality time with your child and create memories. It can also provide physical and emotional benefits to both adult and child! Through play the hormones oxytocin and serotonin are released which is a mood booster! Have I convinced you yet! Playing with your child creates healthy habits that may last a life time.

How can you include more play in your day?

Don’t overthink this!
Play can be incorporated into our lives with minimal effort. Kids are usually very happy to lead with their play and can teach parents a great deal.
Before I go on, think back to when you were a child and the kind of play that made you happy.
Was it making a cubby under the kitchen table or setting up a bike jump? Was it playing with dolls and setting up tea parties, or exploring outside and making mudpies and pretend cups of tea? Was it playing with blocks or building with anything you could find in the yard, running through sprinklers or playing cricket with other kids in the neighbourhood? Did you have a pet rock or a favourite teddy that you loved taking places?
Unstructured or spontaneous play is the best! And kids are so good at it! Play allows for us to be creative and free. It is a break from the mundane. I challenge you to have a play session with your child, simply say “Lets play!” and see what happens. Follow their lead. If they want to set up a shop be a customer, get into your role and enjoy the freedom that comes with using your imagination and the connection you gain from immersing yourself in your child’s world.
Venture outside if the child wishes to do so and see where your play journey takes you. It is always fun to lay on the grass and watch clouds float by or play hide and seek. Why not play hop scotch, draw on the driveway with chalk, make a rocket/TV/boat out of a box or read a story somewhere different to normal.
Look for opportunities to play- they are seriously everywhere. Try to relax about the mess that may occur…I know this can be hard but try to relax!

Play and Learn: The Importance of Play for School-Age Children | Bright Horizons®
Ideas for what to do with your children at home.
The following link will lead to an informative website with free ideas on how to play with your child. It is aimed at younger children 0-7 years but shouldn’t be restricted to these ages. Evidence shows that mixed age play is powerful as it gives the older child a chance to be a leader or teacher and to develop patience with younger children.

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