Kids love to play. They want to play. And they think about play all of the time. But do you know what they want to do other than playing? It’s you playing with them. Any lighthearted, active, satisfying and fun activity is beneficial for parents.
This year’s research has strengthened our belief that play is critical for a better everyday life at home. It shows us that part of our job in creating a better everyday life must be to spark even more playfulness into the home.
In fact, some of the most beneficial play is when children and adults play together. When caregivers and children play together, they’re actually making emotional connections. They are learning about each other. They are learning about who they are as well as about the other person, and they are exploring together. At the same time, they are learning how to observe things together and how to take risks together.
Spending eight months with 300 plus 2-90-year-old individuals in Germany, China, and the U.S., researchers tried to discover how play affects lives across different contexts. A good example was that a certain study showed five main reasons why kids and adults should engage in play.
– It rebalances life. Play helps people rest, rebalance, and reboot physically and mentally.
– It enables people to connect and communicate with each other, enhancing bonds and making people get closer to their loved ones.
– It enables exploration. Play is a learning tool that paves its way to development and improvement.
– Play is a form of expression where kids and parents express different versions of themselves.
The sad news is, not all parents get to spend time and play with their kids. The study has mentioned some hindrances why parents cannot have fun with their kids. Among them were:
– No time
– Stress
– Work and home responsibilities
– Rigid daily routine
Others also see play as a luxury instead of a necessity that is why adults just don’t play with kids.
Parents may be adulting but it does not necessarily mean that they can no longer have fun, especially spending time with their children. Play is essential in parenting. It is necessary that play is incorporated in your daily routine despite the busy and overwhelming schedules.
Here are what researchers noted to be the most common types of play you can have with your children:
Freestyle Play
Spontaneous, undirected and unstructured. In this play, you can just go along with what your child is playing. This nurtures and foster are the child’s confidence along with decision-making skills. It allows grownups to see the world as your child sees it. It is a whole lot of new perspective.
Build-It Play
A constructive type of play. Both kids and adults play using objects, toys and other materials like blankets, blocks and anything there is to build something. It develops your child’s creative thinking.
Mirror-Me Play
From the term itself, this one is imitative. In this manner, kids copy or imitate a grown up’s behavior which turns into a game. It’s also an avenue for children to learn tasks. This type of play also develops your child’s social skills and also de-stresses adults. You can turn a chore into a rather fun and satisfying activity with this one.
Muddy-Boots Play
An outdoor play where parents and children engage in sports and outdoor activities. It can be running around, play tag, catch balls without risking anything indoors. This play uses up your kid’s energy which releases endorphins that make people happier.
Out-Of-The-Box Play
Is an informal, artistic and unstructured play. It can be dancing, coloring or anything that lets your child express his creativity and opens their personality.
Formal Play
This type of play is more structured like board games. It may be focused but it is still enjoyable. Play like this enables the family to get together which also helps both adults and children sustain focus, relax and creatively solve problems.
Play is evolving and that people will be more engaged soon in personalized play, in non-conventional places and would even do it while doing household chores, multi-sensory play, crafts and even reliving old toys like board games and the like. Technology and media will still somehow play significantly but not necessarily direct it.
The next time you think about play, don’t underestimate it. Spaces which are safe should be set up and play must be encouraged. Your kids should not be the only ones getting dirty, building fortresses out of blankets, running, being superheroes for a day but you yourself should do it as well!
