WELLBEING
Nicki Chalmers
The power of play.
When we think of the word ‘play,’ I’m sure the first thing we associate it with is children. Kids love to play. Believe it or not, play is central to a child’s development and learning. So why is play so important and how can we make the most of play to help our children?
Play helps children develop:
- Social and emotional skills
- Teamwork, negotiating, making choices and decisions
- Experiencing successes and failure to build self-confidence
- Controlling emotions and reduce impulsive behaviour
- Developing empathy and fairness
- Conflict resolution
- Confidence
- Care for others and the environment
- Cognitive development:
- Problem solving
- Thinking skills and memory
- Imagination and creativity
- Concentration
- Persistence and resilience
- Understanding how the world works
- Literacy and Numeracy development:
- Increased understanding of words and vocabulary
- Speaking and listening skills
- Writing skills through scribbling/painting/drawing
- Story and written structures and purposes
- Symbol systems
- Purpose and meaning of letters/words/symbols/signs
- Physical development:
- Fine and gross motor skills
- Sensory development
There are two types of play – structured and unstructured play. Both are equally important.
Unstructured play is free play that isn’t planned and just happens! This type of play is particularly important because it allows children to develop their imagination and move at their own pace to consolidate skills they have already learned and build upon then. Unstructured play includes things like:
- creative play like artistic or musical games
- imaginative games such as making things with cardboard boxes, building cubbyhouse, dress-ups etc
- exploration of places such as parks, bush, playgrounds, cupboards etc.
While unstructured play is about allowing kids to just do what tickles their fancy at the time, we can encourage this type of play by pointing them in the right direction such as putting out the paint or the crayons, pointing them to the box of dress-ups, and letting them raid the recycling. Sometimes you might join, other times leave them to it.
Structured play is organised and happens at a certain time or space and usually facilitated by a grown up.
Structured play includes things like:
- outdoor games like kicking a ball, tag, duck duck goose
- swimming lessons
- library Storytime
- dance/drama/performing arts classes
- board games
- sports
Older children are more likely to enjoy and benefit from this type of play.
It’s important for children to be provided with plenty of play experiences of both types, and a variety of indoor/outdoor, solo/group, craft and creative play. It’s good for their physical, social, emotional and imaginative learning and gives children the opportunity to be active, test their physical limits and sensory experiences.
Nicki Chalmers
Mental Health and Wellbeing Coordinator.