WHY DO CHILDREN PLAY?
Learning is a key function in life. At sometime in our lives we have
to acquire the skills to become a part of our society. For example, learning
hand-eye coordination, understanding cause and effect, participating in
society, and dealing with internal as well as external conflicts are
skills necessary for positive adaptation. What is often misunderstood, is
that many of these vital skills are acquired through childhood play.
Although we play throughout our lifetime, in early childhood we play more for the fun of playing. Most children from 2 to 6 years of age do not care about who wins, the final score, or even the rules for the game. As a parent or care giver, understanding the simplicity of early childhood and the joy factors are necessary for the health and well being of your child.
In this section, I will discuss some key areas of play and address how
each enhances child development. I will give examples and descriptions of
fun "age appropriate" games and activities. I have also included
some fun recipes and food ideas for you and your child. Finally, I will
point out some of the play-related challenges faced by a child due to their
race or gender, their ascribed status, and some ways to help overcome these
obstacles.
| In the following section the descriptions of the types of play were taken from, John W. Santrock's text Life-Span Development,6th edition. |
TYPES OF PLAY
Sensorimotor Play
This type of play is most associated with infancy. It involves
the different senses; for example, tactile, movement, sound, and visual
experiences.
Practice Play
This type of play involves the repetition of new skills as they
are being learned. It is like "practicing". It is also engaged
in when physical or mental mastery and coordination of skills are required
for games or sports. Practice play is continued throughout our lifetime.
About one-third of a preschooler's play is practice play, compared to about
one-sixth of an elementary school child's play. Practice play contributes
to the development of coordinated motor skills needed for later game playing.
Some activities include finger painting, running, jumping, throwing, sliding,
or twirling.
Symbolic Play
This is also called dramatic play. A child will transform an object into
other objects and act toward them accordingly. For instance, my son picked
up a mega leggo and told me it was iced tea and I should drink it because
it was very good. This type of play is also called make-believe play. I
am sure most of us can remember playing "cops and robbers" or
"house". This symbolic play is at it's peak at about 4 or 5 years
of age and is a lot of fun for the parent as well as the child. This type
of play obviously helps to develop your child's imagination. It also helps
a child develop needed social skills. This type of play can also be used
in Play Therapy, which will be discussed later.
Social Play
Social play revolves around social interaction with peers. Basically, if
it involves other children, it's social play. Various games can be attributed
to social play. One example is rough-and-tumble play. This type of play
will help your child learn how to interact with others. If one gets hurt
during this play it can also teach a very valuable lesson, empathy.
Constructive Play
Constructive play occurs when a child uses their imagination and skills
to create a product. A child can put on a performance, learn problem solving
skills, or build structures. For example, artwork, magic shows, and building
an ant farm all involve constructive play. This type of play is important
for obvious reasons. It develops problem solving skills, imagination, fine
motor skills, and self-esteem.
Something to keep in mind with constructive play is that if your child decides this is the way the game is to be played or if they view the activity as play, it is play. In contrast, if you decide how it is to be played or it is not seen as fun, it is not play.
Games
Usually games involve others, competition, and rules. This type of play
may appear with preschoolers, but is found more often in elementary school
children. This type of play can build self esteem if the child is proficient,
but it can also be harmful if the child is ridiculed or driven too hard
(by parent, coach, or even peers). The child can learn to enjoy competition
and challenges, which will be very important when applying for entrance
to college and a job position.
Play Therapy
Children have a difficult time trying to articulate their feelings through words. Psychologists have determined that a child expresses a great deal through play. This is the idea behind play therapy. Allow the child to play in a controlled environment and observe their behavior. This also allows a child to work through some internal conflicts you may not be aware of. Observing their play may provide insight into the inner feelings or concerns. This may help you as you attempt to understand why your child is behaving a certain way.
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