It’s widely reported that playing, in its many forms, has a significant impact on a child’s development.
One thing that you may not have realised is that we, as parents, play a huge role in allowing this play to happen. We have a responsibility to help our kids play, but it’s normal to have some reservations about doing so. Whether these hesitations are communicated through our direct actions, the thoughts that we have or the fears that we harbour, the important thing for us to remember is that we’re not alone – parents all around the world share similar feelings. By recognising this, we can further help our kids lead happy, fulfilled and balanced lives.
Through the research we’ve conducted over the last five years, we have begun to recognise patterns across the world in the behaviour of parents in relation to their children and play. We know that almost 70% of parents are scared that their children will get hurt if they try a new activity. However, this should not be a reason to stop your children from trying new things.
63% of children say that trying something new makes them feel happy and more confident. Getting hurt, getting dirty and experiencing new things are all integral parts of growing up and developing in a healthy manner which meand that these things should be embraced and not feared. Our kids don’t worry about them, so why, as parents, should we?
Top 4 Results
A snapshot of what parents and children think about having a go at something new:
- 92% of parents and caregivers agree that it’s essential for children to try new or different things which aids in healthy development
- 63% of children say that trying something new makes them feel happy.
- 69% of parents admit that their greatest concern is that their children will get hurt if they try something new.
- 19% of parents feel that it costs too much money to let their children try new or different things.