Playtime is not just about having fun \u2013 it\u2019s about learning, too. When your little one is reciting a nursery rhyme, they are working on language development skills. Does your child love to toss a ball up in the air and catch it on the way down? They are building important gross-motor and hand-eye coordination skills.<\/p>\n
Why is play so beneficial to children?<\/p>\n
\u201cPlay is at the core of the development of the child,\u201d explains Zaman. Children experience and learn about their world through play: they explore their physical environment, express their emotions and build their vocabulary through playful moments. \u201cPlay is very natural for children around the world,\u201d adds Khanom. \u201cIt is a really important tool for children\u2019s cognitive, physical, social and emotional development and also their imagination and creativity.\u201d<\/p>\n
What is free play?<\/p>\n
Free play is when children have full freedom to play in whatever way they want. \u201cThey can choose everything \u2013 they have the freedom to select their play materials, interest area and even the plot,\u201d explains Zaman. During free play time, children can express themselves in the way that they choose depending on the day, time and situation they are in. \u201cThese kinds of opportunities are very important for children,\u201d says Khanom.<\/p>\n
Every child is unique and has a different way of expressing them self. \u201cYou may have a child who wants to draw, but another child will want to play alone with a puzzle. Every child has a different way of expressing their creativity,\u201d explains Khanom.<\/p>\n
How is free play beneficial to children?<\/p>\n
\u201cSometimes it\u2019s good for children to play alone or independently because they can be more creative when they are playing by themselves,\u201d says Khanom. When a child is playing alone, they are engaging themselves, using their imagination and \u201cfrom very early childhood they are being independent,\u201d says Zaman. Building independence at a young age is beneficial later in life.<\/p>\n
Free play is also important for learning problem solving skills. \u201cThey can try to solve a problem or come up with a solution on their own while playing. They need to express their own way of thinking. Those skills develop when a child is playing independently,\u201d explains Khanom.<\/p>\n
From what age should parents introduce free play to their children?<\/p>\n
Free play creates an opportunity for children to explore their world in their own way and helps foster creativity and using their imagination, so Khanom and Zaman recommend starting at an early age. Parents should encourage toddlers and preschoolers to engage in free play on a regular basis, but with continued supervision it can even be introduced to babies of 6 months.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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