Embedded Files
By: Mikayla Quinn, Lexi Angoff, Sam Steines
Rough and tumble play is verbally and physically cooperative play behavior involving at least two children, where all participants enjoyably and voluntarily engage in reciprocal role-playing that includes aggressive make-believe themes, actions, and words; yet lacks intent to harm either [child] emotionally or physically.
Sources to Check Out!
Rough-and-Tumble Play: A Teacher’s Guide 2024.
Examples of Rough and Tumble Play
- Rough touching
- Wrestling
- Chasing
- Tumbling
- Running
- Jumping
- Kicking
- Grappling
Benefits of Rough and Tumble Play
- Promotes Physical Development - Allows children to develop gross motor skills, balance, coordination, and spatial awareness, builds physical fitness
- Develops Social/Emotional Skills - Allows children to practice skills such as negotiation, taking turns, establishing boundaries, and cooperating with others, provides a safe space for children to express a range of emotions
- Supports Cognitive Development - Encourages problem-solving and strategizing as well as teaches children to anticipate and react to playmates' actions, allows children to exercise imagination and creativity through pretend play
- Encourages Relationship Building - Builds trust, positive connections, boundaries, reciprocity, and fairness between peers
- Builds Self-Confidence & Resilience - Gives children the opportunity to take risks, overcome challenges, and test their abilities in a controlled and safe environment
What Is Rough and Tumble Play? An Educator’s Guide.
Benefits of Rough and Tumble Play
- Allows children to be physically active and get out their pent-up energy
- Teaches children what they are physically capable of
- Builds social interaction and relationships between children and peers and children and parents
- Teaches children how to manage aggression as well as other emotions
Safety in Rough and Tumble Play
- Parent/Teacher supervision
- Watch for tears, yelling, and arguments
- Rough and Tumble Play does not equal violence
- Establish rules with children before engaging in this type of play
Children’s Rough-and-Tumble Play in a Supportive Early Childhood Education and Care Environment
Rough and Tumble Play can include...
- Multiple characteristics of play simultaneously: big body play, risky play, imaginary play, fantasy play, etc.
- A wide range of social interactions: intimate/gentle physical contact to tumbling to vigorous behaviors
- A wide range of emotions: joy, fear, excitement, frustration, success, etc.
Dr. Sheryl Ziegler is invited onto 9News to discuss how roughhousing can be beneficial for children. She explains that it is in their nature and can help with their development. Dr. Ziegler goes on to explain how parents can incorporate this into their household.
What can rough and tumble play look like? This video goes into different examples of rough and tumble play and how it can help with child development and strengthening a bond between parents and children.
Despite popular belief, rough and tumble play is beneficial for children. This infographic depicts all the benefits of incorporating it into your routine.
Before you encourage rough and tumble play, parents should understand how it is different from aggression. This infographic shows what parents should be conscious of when engaging in this kind of play with their children.
Bespoke Family Blog
The Bespoke Family Blog is part of a UK-based consultancy service called Bespoke Family. This blog offers a wealth of parenting support, advice, and training tailored to help families thrive. It covers various aspects of children’s lives, from infancy to teenage years. In the blog link provided they cover what rough and tumble play is, why this type of play is important, and how you can help your child to have this in their day.
The Art of Roughhousing: Good Old-Fashioned Horseplay and Why Every Kid Needs It
By Drs. Anthony T. DeBenedet and Lawrence J. Cohen explores the benefits of rough-and-tumble play for children. The authors argue that such play can:
Nurture close connections between parents and children.
Solve behavior problems by providing an outlet for energy and emotions.
Boost confidence through physical challenges and achievements.
The Deeply Rooted Parent Podcast
Episode 8: Rough and Tumble Play: The Ins and Outs with Frances Carlson
In this episode, Brent Lamborn and Frances Carlson discuss what big body play is and how it is much different than children fighting. Tune in and learn all the ins and outs of this fascinating topic that hits on all a child's growing developmental zones.
Page updated
Google Sites
Report abuse