How play helps children learn to interact:
What is interaction?
Interaction is a group having a conversation or an exchange with other people.
Play can help children interact with others through the social interaction that some play has for example playing ruled games that more than 1 person plays. This helps their interaction as they are learning to take turns and to include other people. Another play activity that helps interaction is games that need them to swap or exchange items with each other. The dolls could come into effect in this as they could swap different types of dolls with each other. This helps their learning as they are learning to speak with other people for things that they’d like to use.
How play teaches children to be independent:
It is important for children to have independent play as it teaches them how to fend for themselves and entertain themselves when you are too busy. This then means that they won’t come running to you saying ‘I’m bored’ wanting you to provide entertainment. Independent play also effects their development intellectually as they have to think how to entertain themselves rather than get it given to them on a plate.
An example of independent play:
Colouring: - it may be surprising but colouring is the most effective example of independent play. This is because it allows the child to draw pictures etc of whatever they like, therefore using their imagination and knowledge of the world to create those pictures.
If you do have a child that works independently, make sure you praise them for the work they have done, as it will help them take pride in their work in future.
How play helps them learn about the environment around them:
Due to less access to environments such as the woods and fields and more parental concerns about safety children do not play outside in the environment around them other than their homes. This then does not allow children to explore other areas and surfaces for them to tackle within there developing life. Exploring the outdoors is important to their learning as they become more aware of their surroundings and the dangers that affect those surroundings that are affecting the world.
Examples of environmental play: Environmental arts and crafts, scavenger hunts and games using the environment around them. These are all fun activities for them to do however, still teaching them about the environment that they live in.
How play stimulates the mind:
When we say play that stimulates we mean how it arouses curiosity, interest and develop in the child’s life through the objects or activities that they use/participate. In this, you are expected to provide the item/activity for the child as you are giving them the stimulation they need to learn. In young children, you would find this stimulation process as they explore the objects given, driven by the curiosity and interest of the object/activity.
Examples of things that can stimulate a child’s mind:
- Paired games with an adult or older child in outdoor activities; developing the child’s physical and social development.
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Toys and equipment; this allows independence as the child can choose which they can entertain themselves with.
