The Importance of Play
Play is a crucial part of development!
Play is not only fun, for babies and children play is is a key part of their physical and mental development. Play is how they learn to interact with their world, and learn from their world! In many ways we can look at play as their “job.”
From the outside play may just look like a baby engaged with a book, a toddler doing a puzzle, or a kid on the playground. But under the surface these children are building complex neuronal connections for balance, coordination, problem-solving, emotional regulation, social skills, and more.
Is play important for gross motor skills?
In terms of gross motor development, active play is a critical part of learning new ways to move that can build into new motor skills. For children who have encountered difficulties with development, it becomes even more important to incorporate movement based play in their day.
We also know from years of researching motor learning, that we learn best when we are engaged in the task and invested in the goal or outcome of the task. Think about a time you listened to a lecture or online webinar; if you were not highly interested in that topic you likely ended up multi tasking and probably couldn’t tell me today what was said in the lecture. The same principle applies to children who are learning to move! If they are not motivated they either will not initiate movement or will not learn much from us helping them move. And the best motivator for children is play!
Play is a critical part of our physical therapy sessions. Many times if you walked in while I was working with a young child, it might look like they are just playing when in reality they are also receiving highly skilled interventions to help them learn to move in a new way.
Tips to encourage play!
Create a safe environment for your child to play. For younger babies this may be a playmat on the floor, or a playpen. Think about baby-proofing the play area and selecting toys that are age appropriate.
For babies, limit time in container toys and encourage active play on the floor when able (container toys likes swings, chairs, and activity centers certainly have their role in helping parents, learn more about container toys here!)
Consider a toy rotation. Having too many toys out can actually make it less likely your child will engage with them, or they may engage with a toy for a very short time before moving onto the next one. Some families choose to put out a small amount of toys (around 10 is recommended!) and switch them out periodically. Having fewer toys out can often lead to more time playing and more creative play!
Let your child lead the play! Think of your self as a participant in your child’s play, not the activities director. Let them select what they want to play with and how. They may not engage with a toy the “correct” way but that is ok! See how they choose to explore a toy or activity, and join in on the fun. This also has the benefit of being more enjoyable for many parents since it can be exhausting feeling like you have to constantly entertain your child.
Consider screen time. Each family is going to have a different stance on screen time and how they approach it, but if you feel like screens are limiting your child’s ability to play try engaging with your child during screen time, or consider limiting screen time to promote other play. For children under 2 it is recommended to limit screen time; if you want to read more about the AAP’s recommendations for screen time for babies and toddler you can click here.
Play is a powerful tool for all children and is one of the best ways to support their overall development! If your child has a hard time moving and playing, contact us today or schedule an evaluation so we can help your child move and play their best!