Why is Play Important for development?

"Play isn't a luxury, it's a fundamental part of a child's psychological and physical development.”

(The Children's Society) 

 



'Play' in the classroom

Its believed that allowing children to 'play' and interact with one another allows the personal development of social and phyical elements within their life.

 

Social Development of a child

Play will increase a childs social awareness and emotional maturity bringing success in life; not just school. They will develop the ability to interact positively with both peers and adults.

 
 Play enables children to socially develop the following:

• Instigate verbal and non-verbal communicating skills
• Respond and understand emotions of others
• Experience the opinions of others, and deal with conflict and deligation
• Experiment with role reversal

Play can also contribute to a childs emotional development, allowing them to express and cope with feelings; allowing them to understand and respond to the feelings of others. Children can also learn to cope with their feelings through role play, this allows them to act out feelings like being angry, happy, or worried in a situation that they can control, allowing them to think out loud expressing both pleasant and unpleasant feelings.  

How can play physically develop a child?!

Play helps to develop a childs' body awareness and fine and gross motor development whilst they energetically move around.

Fine motor skills can be improved through writing, creative play activities, forming shapes and scribbles. Whereas gross motor skills can be developed through physical activities like skipping, hopping and generally running around. As the child practices these skills though play, the stronger these skills will become.

Using their bodies during play also enables them to feel phyically confident, secure, and self-assured  (Isenberg & Quisenberry, 2002).

Additionally, Active play will increase or maintain the energy a child has already sustained, and also improved joint flexibility, and muscular strength.

The benefits play -
Allowing children to make up their own games, characters, situations and dialogues without adult intervention are massive!

'This is because imagination is an integral part of your child's education and helps determine children’s success in all areas of life.
Imaginative and independent play helps children:

• Learn to solve problems;
• Practice coping with difficult or new or strange circumstances;
• Express themselves;
• Develop relationship skills;
• Learn real life skills.'
  
  - http://www.education.com/reference/article/importance-play--social-emotional/