THE POWER OF PLAY

Play is fun for children, but it’s serious business when it comes to their health and development. From peek-a-boo as a toddler to jigsaw puzzles, dolls and toy trains as an older child, play enriches not only their lives at the moment, but their brain development and a whole host of other things, too.

But, what is play, exactly? According to an American Academy of Pediatrics report, “The Power of Play: A Pediatric Role in Enhancing Development in Young Children,” play is an activity that involves active engagement and results in joyful discovery. It is fun and spontaneous, and involves creating an imaginative reality that contains elements of make-believe.

It’s not about passively watching the television or computer screen, and it’s not about the latest and greatest technical bells and whistles on a smartphone. It’s about simplicity, imagination and the unstructured time to create. “Simplicity has always been at the forefront of classic toy development with the focus on undisturbed, open-ended play,” said Filip Francke, CEO of Ravensburger North America, whose BRIO line has been creating happy childhood memories for more than 130 years. Their new product line, Smart Tech, complements openended play and is compatible with other BRIO World products their parents and even grandparents have likely grown up playing with.

Here are just a few benefits of open-ended, unstructured

• Amplifies creative role play and inspired storytelling.

• Models “cause and effect.”

• Develops critical thinking skills.

• Improves children’s abilities to plan.

• Helps with language and math development.

• Encourages and deepens relationships with siblings, friends and adults, creating the foundation for more healthy relationships in the future.

• Fosters curiosity.

• Encourages problem solving, collaboration

• Helps children manage stress.

The AAP is so adamant about the benefits of play that it encourages pediatricians to write out prescriptions for play at well child visits to remind parents, in this increasingly structured world, to give their children plenty of time to play. That’s because more and more, parents are focused on achievement, after-school programs and increased homework demands, even for elementary students. Inspiring play is as simple as providing the unstructured time and space.

So, whether it’s brightly colored toys for an infant, showing a mirror to an older child to explore her own expressions, reading to children of all ages, giving your child simple toys like blocks, wooden toys, puzzles or a train set - providing your child the opportunity for a daily dose of play is the right prescription for his or her development. (BPT) and creativity. playtime: While dialing 911 is easy to remember, learning the Heimlich maneuver takes practice. To help young people learn this life-saving skill, Heimlich Heroes, a Deaconess Initiative based in Cincinnati, Ohio, offers classes to teach young people how to perform the Heimlich maneuver in case of a choking emergency. Since 2013, the program has taught thousands of children how to recognize the signs of choking, understand how to properly administer the Heimlich maneuver and learn ways to prevent or minimize the risk of choking.

To help people everywhere recognize when a person may be choking and in need of the Heimlich maneuver, here are five things to look for from the experts at Heimlich Heroes.

• Trouble breathing. Because the item is clogging the airway, the victim have trouble breathing. If you see a person is wheezing and struggling for they may need the Heimlich.

• Weak cough. Coughing is a useful defense mechanism for clearing obstructions, but if the cough is weak, it means the airway is obstructed victim cannot gain sufficient airflow to cough effectively.

• Skin that appears blueish. When a person is choking, their skin will start to turn blue. This transformation first occurs around the lips, face and fingernails.

• Unable to speak. Despite their best urge to call for a help, a person who is choking will not be able to speak. If you see a person struggling to make words, yet they are unable to do so, they need your help.

• Noisy breathing and high-pitched sounds. These sounds are escaping through narrow passages around the blocking material.

The Heimlich Heroes program has been taught in 31 states across the country and has trained or registered nearly 20,000 young people to date. This training will potentially save thousands of lives, and one 11-year-old girl actually did save a life after completing the training program by administering the Heimlich maneuver on her sister, Gabriela, who was choking on an ice cube.

“We were so proud of Mariana, because she acted so quickly,” says Gabriela and Mariana’s mother. “We are thankful she learned the Heimlich maneuver, not long before this event happened.” and caused will breath, by the air