Why Play is Important for Children Essay Example for Free

Why Play is Important for Children Essay Children like to play, they need to run, chase, ride, skip and jump. The more they play, the more they want to play again. Play is important for Children because it practices their linguistic, cognitive and social skills and contributes to their general personality development. Children use their minds while playing, because they are thinking and acting as if they were another person. When they make such a transformation, they are taking a step forward abstract thinking in that they are freeing their thoughts from a focus on concrete objects. Play is also associated with creativity, especially the ability to be less literal and more flexible in ones thinking. Vygotskian who was a famous Russian psychologist wrote, In play a child always above his average age, above his daily behaviour; in play it is as though he were a head taller than himself. There are four types of play that reflect increasing levels of Childrens social interaction and sophistication. Solitary play is a play that takes place alone, often with toys, and is independent of what other children are doing. Parallel play involves children engaged in the same game or activity side by side but with very little interaction or common influence. Associative play is much like parallel play but with increased levels of interaction in terms of sharing, turn-taking and general interest in what others are doing. Cooperative play occurs when Children join and work together to achieve a common goal, such as building a large castle with each child building a part of the structure. Play have become quite indispensable to Childrens life, However, in order to motivate Children to learn from the games they are playing, Adults have responsibility to choose right playing method and age-appropriate games for the children. They are important elements to support the development of Childrens play. Types of Child’s Play Child’s play is seemingly limited only by imagination, but in general there are a few broad categories of child’s play that tend to cover the most common activities. Child’s play is often: * Quiet. These activities can often be conducted in one place, such as looking at books or working with blocks.  Children do not need great amounts of energy for quiet play and these activities are especially useful when a child is tired. * Creative. These activities allow a child to engage his/her imagination through painting, dancing, sculpting with clay and much more. Creative play allows children to come up with their own worlds, and many children enjoy being in charge of these activities. * Active. These activities require a good amount of energy and often help children develop their gross and fine motor skills. Playing with balls and climbing frames are examples of active child’s play. Cooperative. These activities involve more than one child. When children play with others and share their toys or take turns in an activity, they engage in cooperative play. * Dramatic/Role playing. Like creative play, children engage their imaginations during dramatic play or role playing and often take on the persona of a different character. Some dramatic play may take place with other children, though it might also include toys, dolls or even imaginary friends. Encouraging Child’s Play One of the most important things that a parent can do for their children is to be available for play. Activities that many parents enjoy doing with their children include: * Playing peek-a-boo with infants. * Singing silly songs and nursery rhymes with young children. * Reading to children of all ages. * Taking part in their children’s tea parties, school days or whatever other imaginary events they have dreamed up. * Dressing up in â€Å"costumes† and performing plays written and directed by their children. * Kicking or throwing a ball in the garden or park. * Playing â€Å"I spy† while out on walks or long drives. * Building towers of blocks or sand castles at the beach. For many parents, child’s play may seem lovely though relatively unimportant. If you find yourself wondering at the hours your child can spend engrossed in play, remember that (s)he is actually learning all about the world through these activities. Don’t wait for your child to invite you, join in and enjoy yourselves together! Learning through play Play helps young children to learn and develop their physical, social, emotional and intellectual skills through doing and talking, which research has shown to be the means by which young children learn to think. It is also how they learn to socialise as children engage in learning experiences with other children and adults. The Early Years Foundation Stage is a play based framework that childcare providers use as a tool to ensure that children from birth to five years are developing and learning to their full potential. Providers plan and provide a range of play activities, which help children to make progress in each of the key areas of learning and development identified by the framework: * Personal, social and emotional development. * Communication, language and literacy. Problem solving, reasoning and numeracy. * Knowledge and understanding of the world. * Physical development. * Creative development. There are lots of opportunities for you to help your child grow and learn. Parents can support their child’s development by choosing activities at home which gives them a chance to explore and use their imaginations. Visit our play activities page for ideas for fun activities for you and your child. The leaflet Learning Through Play contains further tips on how you can support your childs learning.