October 10, 2024 Family Guide: Play is Learning Play Benefits the Entire Family Scientists estimate that the most rapid period of brain development happens before age five, though the brain continues to grow through adolescence, with the prefrontal cortex maturing around age 25. Neuroplasticity—the brain’s ability to adapt—can be strengthened into adulthood. For children, play is crucial for physical, cognitive, social, emotional, and language development. For adults, it reduces stress, boosts cognitive function, and enhances creativity. Children engage in play both at home and in school through activities like drawing, exploring, and playing with toys. Adults can incorporate play by hosting game nights, joining sports, or playing with pets. Family play fosters learning, fun, and connection, supporting brain development through varied experiences. Skills Children Learn Through Play Conflict resolution Creativity and imagination Emotional expression Fine/gross motor skills Language and literacy Problem solving and decision making Resilience/confidence Risk assessment Spatial awareness Types of Play/Examples Constructive: Block building; puzzles; Lego; sand castles; sticks & stones Fine Motor: Drawing/coloring; puzzles; pinching/pulling objects; play dough Games with Rules: board games; freeze dance; tag Gross Motor: crawling; running; jumping; dancing; riding a bicycle; throwing a ball Imaginative: Dress-up; play cooking/cleaning; reenactment; telling stories Loose Parts: Exploration of rocks, sticks, beads, paper, cotton balls Music: Musical instruments; singing; listening to music; making instruments Outdoor: Playgrounds; sandboxes; backyard exploration; parks; nature walks Risky: Climbing; balancing; fast speeds; outdoor exploration Sensory: Sensory bins; play dough; mud; water play; music Social: Story time; drop-in play centers; playground; community playtime How to Play as a Family Ways to Play Child-directed: The child leads and directs the play through activities they have chosen. Adults can support this type of play by asking questions, allowing the child to direct, and providing positive feedback. Guided: Adults guide the child through play, integrating learning outcomes into the child-directed free play. Adults are deliberate in introducing specific concepts and skill-building. Unstructured/Free: This is a type of play that is not organized or directed by adults and does not have a specific outcome. Children have the freedom to be imaginative and uninhibited. Supporting Play Adults can support a child’s play and have fun themselves by: Allowing the child to lead Asking questions Being active at the playground Dressing up Giving encouragement and positive feedback Incorporating play into daily tasks Introducing songs and games Mirroring the way the child is playing Providing interesting materials Reading together Using the imagination Play for Adolescents and Teenagers Play does not have to end as a child gets older. As school becomes more instructive and less playful, play outside of school becomes even more important. Caregivers can continue to support play by encouraging participation in activities like sports, music, art lessons, board or virtual game play, social events, outdoor activities, and more. Adolescents and teenagers should have the chance to explore what interests them. Resources Importance of Play in Early Childhood (Head Start) The Importance of Play for Adults (Psych Central) Fine Motor Skills (Cleveland Clinic) Gross Motor Skills (Cleveland Clinic) Guided Play (Famly) Sensory Play (Brightwheel) Constructive Play (Famly) Risky Play (Boston University Children’s Center)
October 4, 2024 40 Reasons Why Play is Crucial for Brain Development About Article 31 of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child states “Parties recognize the right of the child to rest and leisure, to engage in play and recreational activities appropriate to the age of the child, and to participate freely in cultural life and the arts.” Playground Equipment has compiled 40 reasons why play is crucial for brain development with quotes from various organizations, doctors, and professors. They highlight links to other resources that provide information about brain development for babies and children. Experts include: Professors Doctors American Academy of Pediatrics NAEYC … and more
How to Promote Cognitive Development: 23 Activities & Games About While reading, writing, and mathematics are important, developing cognitive skills is indispensable for lifelong learning. Children must reach their full cognitive potential as childhood development and intellectual functioning predicts survival, lifelong health, and human capital. Learn More Positive Psychology wrote an article on how to promote cognitive development in children and suggests 23 activities and games in which they should participate.
Thinking and Play Newborns Play is important for newborns’ cognitive development. Through play, babies learn about their parents, their world, and such concepts as movement and color. Raisingchildren.net.au, an Australian parenting website, provides tips and ideas for encouraging newborn cognitive development through play. Babies Through play, babies develop skills for thinking, understanding, communicating, remembering, and imagining. Back-and-forth interactions help babies learn about themselves and their world. Raisingchildren.net.au, an Australian parenting website, provides tips and ideas for encouraging cognitive development for babies through play. Toddlers Play is key for toddlers’ cognitive development because toddlers learn through play. Toddlers learn best when they’re interested in an activity, so it’s a good idea to let them lead play. Raisingchildren.net.au, an Australian parenting website, provides tips and ideas for encouraging cognitive development for babies through play. Pre-schoolers (3-5 years) Play is important for preschoolers’ cognitive development. They often learn best when they are allowed to lead play. Raisingchildren.net.au, an Australian parenting website, provides tips and ideas for encouraging cognitive development for babies through play.
Can Guided Play Enhance Children’s Learning in Educational Settings? About There has been a longstanding debate in Early Childhood Education (ECE) concerning the benefits of free play and direct instruction for children’s learning and development. In recent years, there has been a conceptual shift toward a play-based learning approach that acknowledges the combined benefits of play and traditional teaching. Learn More Child Development’s report discusses how guidance during play can enhance children’s learning and development in educational contexts.
The Need for Pretend Play in Child Development About Many people think of play in the form of young children at recess engaging in games of tag, and ball, using slides, and swings, and physically exploring their environment. But physical play is not the only kind of play. Learn More The Scientific American published an article on how pretend play or make-believe play reflects a critical feature of a child’s cognitive and social development.
Multigenerational Play Creates Intergenerational Impacts About Play is an important part of children’s learning and development. Playful learning – an area of research that examines how children learn best through playful exchanges – shares many of the same core foundations as the study of intergenerational learning, a body of research involving older and younger generations coming together in the service of mutually beneficial learning experiences. Learn More A commentary piece by Brookings examines how playful learning creates multigenerational opportunities with intergenerational impacts.
How Play Fosters Social and Cognitive Development in Children About Play in Education, Development, and Learning (PEDAL) recorded a public lecture with psychologist Kathy Hirsch-Pasek on the importance of free and guided play as a catalyst for social and cognitive development learning. Learn More Listen to the lecture on YouTube to learn how play might offer a successful midway position in the debate on playful vs. didactic approaches to early childhood education.
How Culturally Rich Dramatic Play Supports Language Development About Listen to children’s everyday talk to identify culturally relevant themes. Culturally relevant dramatic play centers let young children draw from their experiences to enhance their play. Children reenact activities and observations from family life and share common events in their cultures. Learn More Read this NAEYC report on supporting language through culturally rich dramatic play to learn more about how authentic dramatic play leads to children’s meaningful learning – especially in language and vocabulary.
Brain-Building Activities for Infants, Toddlers, and Children About From infancy on, play is an important component of a child’s life. For babies and toddlers, playful interactions with adults develop brain architecture, the foundations of lifelong health, and the building blocks of resilience. Through games and activities, children can practice and strengthen executive function skills that will help them throughout their lives, including learning to focus their attention, strengthening their working memory, and developing self-control. Learn More Harvard University’s Center on the Developing Child has compiled a guide on brain-building through play with a series of activities for infants, toddlers, and children.
