Why play should be a priority for children’s learning and development

There are many forms of play, and all are important for the growth of a child

Pchild’slay is much more than just fun. It is actually incredibly significant for a young development and learning. In fact, the importance of play in early childhood cannot be underestimated. Play is one of the fundamental aspects of healthy brain development. It is through play that children at a very early age engage and interact with the world around them, and it provides a vehicle for them to derive meaning from their experiences.

Play takes on many guises, but generally speaking it can be divided into five different types: physical, object, rules, symbolic, and pretend play, which all contribute to the development of knowledge and skills in humans.

Physical play is exactly as it sounds. From climbing to chasing, pushing to pulling, physical play strengthens gross and fine motor skills, and keeps children active. It also offers strong emotional and social benefits. For example, so-called “rough and tumble” or tickling games can be lots of fun for both parent and child, deepening their bond.

Playing with objects doesn’t just mean playing with toys; it can mean whatever interesting thing a child can engage with and manipulate. This type of play is an exploration for the senses, and encourages fine motor development. It also gets the mind thinking, by stimulating creativity and problem-solving skills.

Games with rules, be it “tag”, board games or team sports, provide children with an entertaining way to learn social skills like turn-taking, sharing, and empathy. Games with rules can further develop language and communication skills, and are a wonderful way for families to spend quality time together.

Children use pretend play to understand and make sense of the world around them, discover more about their own identity, and to understand experiences and regulate emotions. Pretend play also really lets the imagination out for a walk, whether it’s mimicking a real-life person, or spending the afternoon with an imaginary unicorn.

The definition of symbolic play sometimes blends with pretend play, but in this instance it means how children play with language and other forms of communication. It could be a child calling a sheep a “baa”, drawing a picture of mummy, or making marks as if they were words. This form of play allows children to make sense of things around them and develop skills to express themselves, such as writing, drawing or playing an instrument.

All these types of play work together to ensure that children learn, develop and grow up with the skills required throughout life.