Playing is Learning

Playing with your baby provides the fabric of his learning experiences. Every time you play or interact with him, you’re not just entertaining him but teaching him valuable lessons about himself, about you and about the world.

For example, by shaking a rattle for your newbaby, you are helping him to learn to focus, as well as introducing him to the concept of cause and effect – after a while he will begin to understand that shaking the rattle is what makes the sound.

Let me tell you benefits of play and suggest you to encourage your child for such play times.

• Play allows a young child to be omnipotent. In their games, kids enact many roles from a giant fish to warrior. These play times help them vent out their frustrations of ring small and powerless and make their own rules. I still remember when my kid used to imagine that he’s leading a group of playmates and tell them what needs to be done and how ? The most interesting part was I can see him commanding the way I do, and many times, I realized what mistakes I’ve made while teaching him and need to correct. Hence it’s good for both you and your kid.
• Play builds self esteem: It may sound surprising, but it’s true. Children tend to play at what they do well and help them think as successful in their own eyes. Have you ever noticed twinkle in your kids eyes when they make same block tower which you have showed them day or two back and after failing and trying, they succeeded to build the same thing and come running to you, presenting their achievement and also expect admiration and appreciation from you. This appreciation they receive and contentment of achieving their goal helps in building self esteem, but you play quite an important role in it.
• Play builds social skills. In the beginning years kids play with their dolls, teddy bear and such inanimate objects which are perfect tools to learn interactive skills. Later with their peers they learn to respect others, wait for their turn and sharing. Also kids who play with their parents ultimately do better socially since this allows you to correct them when they go wrong.
• Play spurs language development. During play, a toddler use many words repeatedly such as doll, truck, teddy bear, up, down, blocks, jump and so on that eventually help in fostering language development.
• Play stimulates creativity and imagination. Making a castle in sand, preparing food for Dad as mama prepares, taking care of their dolls or teddies, becoming doctor when teddy gets hurt, building some new stuff with blocks, all such activities help children use their imagination and being creative in their own self.