Parents can help playtime to be enjoyable, productive and safe. Here are a few suggestions on how to help your child at play:
Provide a child centered play area:
- Make sure it is childproof and clean
- Avoid over-stimulation – especially for babies
- Allow children to leave constructions up for awhile so they come back and engage in new adventures in the world they created
- Store play items safely but make them easily accessible
Provide toys with play value that:
- Can be used in many ways
- Allow children to determine the play
- Appeal to children at more than one age or level of development
- Can be used with other toys for new and more complete play
- Will stand the test of time and continue to be part of play as develop new interest and skills
- Help children develop skills important for further learning and a sense of mastery
Encourage a balance in play activities:
- Reduce or eliminate screen time (1 or 2 hours per day max)
- Encourage outdoor play that uses large muscles – running, jumping, climbing and playing games is cool
- Curtail time spent in adult-organized activities – kid directed play is important
- Don’t allow your child to become over-scheduled – self directed play should be encouraged
- Encourage new activities such as art, music, building or science – you make the introduction then let them on their own (some will make a hit others won’t and that’s OK)
- How about letting them work? – kids enjoy helping in the kitchen and in the yard – give younger children junior sized appliances, tools and equipment so they can “work” beside you
