How play helps in child development, different types of play and the importance of play in developing deeper child-parent relationships

Play is an essential part of a child's life. It is a natural and important way for children to learn and develop various skills, including social, cognitive, and emotional skills. Play can take many different forms, including imaginative play, games, sports, and free play. In this blog, we will discuss the importance of play in the life of a child and the importance of play for child and parent relationships and connections.

The importance of play in the life of a child

Play is essential for a child's development. Through play, children learn to explore their environment, develop their imaginations, and discover their interests and passions. Play helps children develop their physical, social, emotional, and cognitive skills. For example, when children play games, they learn to take turns, follow rules, and work together. When children play with blocks or puzzles, they develop their spatial reasoning and problem-solving skills. Play also provides children with an opportunity to express themselves creatively and develop their sense of self.

The importance of play for child and parent relationships and connection

Play is also an essential tool for building and maintaining relationships between children and their parents. Play provides parents with a way to connect with their children, build trust, and strengthen the bond between them. When parents play with their children, they show that they value their children's interests and that they are willing to take the time to engage with them. Play also provides parents with an opportunity to observe their children's behaviours, interests, and strengths.

Playing with children can also help parents to understand their children's emotions and how they are feeling. When children play, they often express their emotions through their play. For example, a child who is feeling anxious may play with dolls and act out scenarios where the dolls are afraid. By observing their children's play, parents can learn about their children's emotional states and respond accordingly.

Furthermore, playing with children can also provide parents with an opportunity to teach their children important values and life skills. For example, parents can use play to teach their children about empathy, kindness, and fairness. Parents can also use play to teach their children important life skills, such as problem-solving, decision-making, and critical thinking. This is a big part of Nooksy's work; a library filled with impact literature aimed at kickstarting crucial conversations with our children and positively impacting them.

Learn more about showing compassion from our collection of books about kindness and empathy, or check out our collection of books about ways to deal with emotions.

Play for warmth, closeness and connection

A study published in the Journal of Family Psychology found that parent-child play is positively associated with various aspects of the parent-child relationship, including closeness, warmth, and positive communication. The study also found that play was associated with lower levels of parent-child conflict.

The research suggests that play is an important tool for building and maintaining positive parent-child relationships. Parents who engage in play with their children are likely to have stronger relationships with their children, and children who engage in play with their parents are likely to experience better social, emotional, and academic outcomes.

As we conclude our play-themed month here at Nooksy, we hope we have encouraged you to keep being playful, not only to keep you lively but to keep you connected with your children. We equally want hope we have also encouraged you to make reading playful, especially for school-going children who are mandated to read.

‍

Before you go: Have you read 5 Ways Reading Develops Creativity?