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Saturday, May 3, 2008

The Relevance of Play

Play is naturally pleasing for children. Since it is their dynamic engagement in things that fascinate them, play should be child-oriented, or at least child-enthused, for it to remain relevant and significant to them. Children at play are happily lost in themselves; they are in their own realm of wonder, discovery, and adventure, pulling parents in at times with a frequent “Let’s play, mom!” as an open invitation into their world.

Even during infancy, children plunge themselves in play activities with the intention of making sense of the world around them. Play offers children the prospect to learn and be familiar witrh things themselves, which is crucial for their growth. Although peek-a-boo games seem meaningless to grown-ups, toddlers are impressed by the revelation that awaits them as they see the gradually emerging faces of people they care for.

Why the big story on play? Now the child benefits in a way that is a little bit thorny for adults to see.

· Play hones physical and motor development. Play often involves the use of the senses, the body, and the extremities. When children play, they exercise their bodies for physical strength, fluidity of movement, balance and coordination.

· Play enhances language development. Toddlers who are still grappling with words need to be immersed in oral language so they can imitate what they hear. They benefit from songs and rhymes that provide the basis for understanding how language works.

· Play facilitates cognitive learning. Play is vital to the intellectual development of a child. We live in a symbolic world in which people need to decode words, actions, and numbers. Through play, the child is constructing his or her worldview by constantly working and reworking his understanding of concepts.

· Play fosters socio-emotional learning. Kids deal with their confidence as they choose to embark on their play activities. At the same time, they are displaying their independence in the decisions that they make. Children are also internalizing social rules in their respective play situations.

· Play encourages creativity. Play opens an entire avenue for children to express themselves, show what they know and how they feel, and to create their own masterpieces.

· Play brings pure and utter joy. Kids remember a feeling of genuine joy that is captured in this four-letter word.

· Play provides bonding opportunities. Play provides for interaction, experimentation, and moral development. Parents should find ways to encourage and support their children’s playtime.






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