Free, unstructured play is essential for a child’s development and learning. Through play, kids explore the world around them, gain knowledge about their environment, interact with others, express their thoughts and feelings, and learn how to resolve conflicts.
Play helps children explore language, build the vocabulary and fluency, express ideas, search for and provide information, and develop humor.
Furthermore, free play sparks creativity and imagination, helps children learn how to make connections, understand cause and effect, and anticipate and predict outcomes. Play with different toys encourages hand-eye coordination, fine and gross motor development, and problem-solving.
Unstructured play engages kids in problem-solving, encourages them to learn turn-taking, practice communication skills, and experiment with social roles, which boosts their empathy.
The ability to discover the world in a protected environment of their play benefits children’s development on every level.
Outdoor play is necessary for your child’s development and health. Recent research shows that school recess improves students’ performance in the classroom. Researchers explain their findings saying that children are capable of learning and achieving more in much less time when they have regular breaks. In other words, kids need more playtime to achieve better results in the classroom.
Also, childhood obesity rates have shown steady growth over the last decades. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), in 2016, over 41 million children under the age of five were overweight.
Outdoor play and spending time in nature help children learn about safe risk-taking, promote happiness and enthusiasm, boost confidence, but also have a calming effect. Some studies showed that exposure to nature can significantly reduce the stress level in children.
Spending time outside promotes your child’s appreciation of the natural environment, encourages independence, and helps them understand the world.
Play is not a luxury but a necessity of childhood. Free play and development go hand in hand. By decreasing your child’s screen time and encouraging more real-play time, you are helping their development and nurturing overall well-being.
Take care and keep healthy and positive,