How can play help a childs development

You might also like to sing, dance and clap along to music with your child. If your child is interested, you could think about getting him into some sports or team activities for school-age children. Other possibilities include after-school or holiday art and craft activities. Homemade toys and free activities are often the most creative ways for you and your child to have fun together. This is normal and usually nothing to worry about.

But sometimes a lack of play — or a lack of interest in play — can be a sign of a developmental disorder. Skip to content Skip to navigation. Play also helps your child: build confidence feel loved, happy and safe develop social skills, language and communication learn about caring for others and the environment develop physical skills.

Different types of play Unstructured, free play is the best type of play for young children. Examples of unstructured play might be: creative play alone or with others, including artistic or musical games imaginative games — for example, making cubby houses with boxes or blankets, dressing up or playing make-believe exploring new or favourite play spaces like cupboards, backyards, parks, playgrounds and so on.

Examples of structured play include: water familiarisation classes for toddlers, or swimming lessons for older children storytelling groups for toddlers and preschoolers at the local library dance, music or drama classes for children of all ages family board or card games modified sports for slightly older children, like Cricket Blast, Aussie Hoops basketball, NetSetGO netball, Come and Try Rugby, and Auskick football. Newborns and babies: play ideas to encourage development For babies, the best toy is you.

Gentle tickles, or objects with different textures, like feathers, mud, metal or foam: these develop the sense of touch. Objects of different sizes, colours and shapes: these can encourage your child to reach and grasp. The type of play children engage in and its purposes change over the course of childhood from infancy to adolescence.

This is because children seem to have a natural urge to play and playing brings a level of pleasure and interest which means it can be maintained without external rewards. Physical development - active play using large and small muscles such as climbing, running, ball games, digging, jumping, and dancing. Social and emotional development - dramatic and imaginative play which includes dressing up and role play can develop positive social and emotional skills and values.

This provides opportunities for children to:. Cognitive development - when your child plays individually and with others their cognitive skills, such as thinking, remembering, learning and paying attention are all being developed.

Children develop the following cognitive skills through play:. Your child leads the play time and you follow.

That means if your child wants you to sit in the sandbox with her, you do it. Or if he wants you to play the baby and he plays the mommy, you do it.

Your presence enables another level of meaningful play to happen. Of course we all want our children to move in the direction of associative and cooperative play, but that takes time. On this episode, Rachel Robertson, Bright Horizons education and development vice president, and new mom Amanda, discuss the importance of play.

Find out why play is the key to healthy child development—and get new ideas you can use to engage your child in playful ways throughout the day. Is your child ready to leave diapers behind? Here are some considerations as you start the process of introducing your child to toilet learning. Contact Us. See All Solutions. For Employers.

Who We Are. Resources for Employers. Resources for Families. Search Bright Horizons. Find a Center Locate our child care centers, preschools, and schools near you. Log in to Schedule Backup Care. I'm interested in Looking for a child care center Accessing my benefits Providing benefits to my employees Joining the Bright Horizons Team. What Children Learn Through Play We believe that play is the primary vehicle for optimal growth in childhood.

Play promotes healthy habits by actively engaging children in the world around them.