The Power of Play
This holiday give your child the gift of play. It’s fun, it involves no input from you and it’s free!
The drive to play is nature’s way of getting children to practise life’s most essential skills to help them live rich, meaningful and happy lives.
And as a Christmas gift to yourself I urge you to watch this fun video and do yourself a favour by sending the kids outside!
Real play is considered by children to be time that is freely chosen and directed by themselves, without adult input. Because of this, play is a major force for children to learn how to take initiative, direct their own behaviour, get on with playmates and solve their own problems. When play is intrinsically motivated, play is how children discover and become skilled at what they love to do. When we allow children to play freely, children build their capacity for creativity, imagination and risk taking. When children get into a mental state for play, they are in ‘flow’ state meaning they are active and alert but non-stressed - the ideal state of mind for learning something new or doing anything that requires creativity or new insights.
In order for your children to reap these enormous benefits, take a step back and ask other adults in your household to take a step back too. Take screens away and give children time to freely explore and create. This doesn’t mean buying a lot of extra toys, in fact, too many toys can be overwhelming for children. If your child doesn’t have much free time usually, you may be faced with cries of ‘I’m bored!’ but be patient and tolerant. Much of the best play comes from these moments of boredom and can be the prime time for innovative and authentic, self-directed play.
Play isn’t and shouldn’t be limited to younger children either. At all ages, we need time to find activities that help move us into a ‘flow’ state, where true relaxation, pleasure and learning can occur. As well as playing at home, for our older children we can actively encourage them to play freely outside with other kids in the building or neighbourhood. By encouraging this kind of independence, we let our children take greater charge of their lives and become more responsible. As parents, we may need to manage our level of worry when allowing our children to play out of sight for long periods of time, but ensuring that they know our expectations and communicating with other parents and neighbours can help to alleviate this. These play experiences develop young people who are more self-reliant, happier and better adjusted socially and emotionally.
Enjoy a freer, happier, more playful holiday!