Why is play important?

Why is play so important?

Play matters so much in the age of technology. What we mean by play here is not video games or apps on an iPad. Here we want to talk about one-on-one play that your child has with you or a friend in person. Now before we continue, we don’t want anyone thinking we don’t believe in the use of technology for play, we do, but we believe it should be limited. If you have time look into studies done on white matter in children’s brains. There are many studies that link technology to the decrease in white matter in our kids’ brains. White matter helps with all motor skills and cognitive ability. Here we believe outdoor and face to face play should always be longer than screen time play.

Play is one of the main ways our children learn and develop. Imaginative play helps prepare our children for school, helps them make sense of the world around them, and can help with their sensory needs also. Imaginative play has been linked to the development of skills like self-regulation. This means that the more children play pretend the more their brain learns self-copping skills and how to regulate their emotions.

Play also helps with social skills. Our children interacting with other children helps them learn how to interact in this world. Helps them face challenging situations like sharing that favorite toy or speaking up for themselves when needed. This is not just for our little ones, kids and teens need face to face interaction with peers also.

Lastly, play is for adults too. Playing with our children can deepen our bonds even if it’s only ten minutes at a time. It can also decrease our stress while improving our brain function.

SO GO PLAY!