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PLAYING TO LEARN:
The Work of Childhood
WORDS: Manatee County School District School Social Workers and School Psychologists
It is truly amazing how quickly children develop and learn.
One activity that is paramount in this endeavor is through
play. Whether that be in formal game playing like soccer, a
board game like Monopoly, drawing, or having a moment for
free play, these all help in the development of childhood skills to
better understand their environment. As the beloved Mr. Rogers
said: “Play is often talked about as if it were a relief from serious
learning. But for children, play is serious learning. Play is really
the work of childhood.”
Regardless of socioeconomic, geographic, cultural, or social
setting, all kids play. The way they play, however, changes
throughout a child’s life. It starts as a way to be curious and
explore their world through their senses. It follows in early
childhood as a means to increase their motor and language skills.
The louder and more action-oriented the toys, the better! By
middle childhood as play becomes more complex and skills are
more sophisticated, children enjoy games with rules and are more
creative and imaginative. They seek to challenge themselves by
learning new strategies or solving problems through the play they
engage in. In preteen and early adolescence, play is formalized
in games and interests are rened for enjoyment.
However, as a society, we are seeing a decrease in free play in
both formal and informal play.
The latter half of the 20th
century saw a decrease
in free play and outdoor
play, but an increase in
technology use, time
spent in school and
on homework.
Compared to when
earlier generations
were growing up, it
seems that fewer
children are playing
outside today
than ever before.
When they are
playing outside,
chi l d ren are
usually playing
a formal spor t
with their parents
cheering on the
sidelines.
For parents, here are several easy ways to increase and enhance
children’s play at home:
1. Observe your child playing: By observing their child
playing, parents can see how they interact and understand
their world. Parents may be amazed at what they see their
children accomplish during play periods.
2. Give room and time for children to play without parent
interference: When parents direct the play of a child, it
hinders a child’s creativity and independence. By letting
kids be loud, messy, and in control, children learn about
boundaries, and limits, and increase their creative skills.
3. Have a wide range of toys: Children should have several
different varieties of toys to play with. Creative toys include:
blocks, crayons, and dress-up clothes. This is not to say
that kids should not have toys based on their favorite
character, but having a mix is benecial to increase their
creativity and imagination.
4. Be involved in their play: Just like reading 20 minutes
a night to children enhances reading ability and creates
a positive attachment, being involved in their play will
also increase the child’s play skills and foster a positive
relationship with their parents. In Parent Child Interaction
Therapy, certied therapists recommend parents engage
in play with their child at least 5 minutes a day. Key ideas
to keep in mind are: to follow their children’s lead, give
specic praise, and to enjoy the time with the child.
5. Limit time on electronic devices: Instead of having your
child play video games or on tablets that may stie creativity,
encourage children to engage in any type of play. Involving
the whole family in this limit can help and be fun too. For
example, instead of everyone looking at their phones at the
same time, enjoy playing a board game together.
Overall, play should be viewed as something fun, enjoyable
and a necessity for a well-developed child. Let children be
silly, creative, loud, or imaginative. They are doing “serious
learning” after all!
References: