Plenty of play in childhood makes for happy, smart adults -- and keeping it up can make us smarter at any age
Stuart Brown, M D,The Neuroscience of Play
Play is the royal road to childhood happiness and adult brilliance.
Joseph Chilton Pierce Author
Sakalya Prep follows a set of activities based on the studies on what is best for social emotional and cognitive development of children. Since none of us are sure about whether preschools will reopen in June as usual, we do not want children to be deprived of the age appropriate stimulations even for short period. This situation calls for parents to step up and assume the role of educators for the time being. Sakalya Prep, The Holistic Preschool is taking out this series to handhold the parents in understanding science behind the relevant Preschool activities and how can parents fill up the gap at home.
We engage children in lots of structured as well as free play. Research(#1) shows that providing children with play breaks during the school day maximises their attention to cognitive tasks. According to a report by the American Academy of Paediatrics, “Play is essential to development because it contributes to the cognitive, physical, social, and emotional well-being of children. Playful children are more physically active, creative, humorous, imaginative, emotionally expressive, curious and communicative(#2). Active free play can lead to improved academic performance . Research(#3) results revealed a significant positive effect of unstructured play upon creativity. Not only are children developing the neurological foundations that will enable problem solving, language and creativity, they are also learning while they are playing.
PARENT - CHILD PLAY - Intergenerational play is more important now than ever
The richest play occurs when adults take part. The most creative children are those who have had adults involved in their play. Whilst playing with adults, children display higher levels of language and problem-solving skills than when playing with their peers(#4). The results(#5) confirm that the more active parent’s involvement in their children’s play, the greater is the child’s parental attachment at age 10.
BENEFITS
bonding with parents
encouraging empathy through playing with others
learning to share and to take turns
extending the range of the child’s activities in a gentle way
promoting learning
heightening attention
acquiring new skills
exploring safely the child’s own limitations and strengths
understanding boundaries
releasing emotions and working through emotional issues for the child
facilitating communication and discussion together through shared fun and laughter
PLAY DEPRIVATION
‘What happens if children are deprived of play? Brains mature more slowly. Play increases gene expression in the frontal lobe for a protein thought to be involved with brain maturation. Without play(#6), self-control does not develop adequately’. ‘A child who is not being stimulated, by being played with, and who has few opportunities to explore his or her surroundings, may fail to link up fully those neural connections and pathways which will be needed for later learning(#7).’ If deprived of play, children will suffer both in the present and in the long-term. Children only become “couch potatoes” when adults inadvertently restrict their activity, limit their access to outdoor play and allow children to spend excessive time on “screen play” with a television or computer. Children who do not play, or who do not play as often as other children, are at increased risk of psychological, intellectual and social deficits.
WHAT SHOULD PARENTS DO?
To reap the full benefits of play, children need supportive adults(normally done by teachers and caretakers ) who recognise the value of play and encourage children by:
setting aside a specific time to play together
playing regularly
providing a safe and friendly environment for play
get down on the floor with your child
allowing your child to lead the play
allowing repetition
Children experience their world, and the world of others, through play. It is the primary activity that promotes the skills that will be needed throughout life. It’s more than fun and games. So Play! Play! Play!
References:
#1 - Anthony Pellegrini and Robyn Holmes
#2 - Jerome Singer. 1994
#3 - Howard-Jones & others. 2002
#4 - Goldstein 1996; Singer 1996
#5 - Researchers at Germany’s University of Regensburg (Grossmann 2002.
#6 - Azar. 2002
#7 - Sutton-Smith. 1997. p. 17
Also Article - Active Play and Healthy Development by Jeffrey Goldstein, Ph.D.About the author: Lt Col Bincy K Thomas (Retd) is the Co-founder and Director of Sakalya Wisdom Foundation, an organisation committed to design and offer meaningful educational services and activities. She is the Director of Sakalya Prep, The Holistic Preschool, Whitefield Bangalore. She is the Trainer and Pedagogy Expert in Sakalya Centre for Professional Development, training Centre for Teachers Professional Development, School Leaders Development Programs and Parenting Programs. She is researching into creating a dynamic holistic early childhood pedagogy. Presently She is pursuing Certificate in Early Education Leadership from Harvard Graduate School of Education, USA. Other areas of her interests are world mythologies, philosophy, social, emotional and spiritual development, leadership, gardening etc.
Comments