- Helps children learn about themselves and the world around them
- Allows them to explore different interests and passions
- Encourages interactions, sharing, and socialization to help develop social-emotional skills
- Develop important life skills
What is play?
Play is “any spontaneous or organized activity that provides enjoyment, entertainment, amusement or diversion.” In simpler terms, it’s a time when we are:
- Having fun
- Being creative and spontaneous
- Creating original ideas and acting on them
- Engaged and concentrated
How old does baby need to be to play?
Baby can play at any age! Play is a great way to promote motor, sensory, communication and social-emotional development. Of course, play will look different as they age
We at Little Academy Nursery are fully aware of the importance of play in the development of children in early ages. The more they get older the more they begin to communicate and interact in their play. As their communication skills get better, they will be able to follow directions while they play games. They will also use their motor skills to do more physical activities and play with toys, and learn important social skills like sharing, listening and using manners.
How often should my child play?
Think of play as a prescription from a doctor. It’s something they need every day and should be a balance of structured and unstructured play.
In Little Academy Nursery we implemented two types of play in all our educational programs; a structured and unstructured type that has been designed to meet the need of each age group.
Structured play requires a child to follow directions or rules, and is guided by the Teacher. This could include board games, puzzles, and organized classes like dance or art, or team sports like soccer.
Unstructured play allows for children to do whatever interests them, without as many directions or guides. This can be playing on the jungle gym, playing dress up, and exploring the outdoors are all examples of unstructured play. The possibilities are endless!
Toddlers should spend at least one hour a day in free, unstructured play, and at least thirty minutes engaged in active, adult led play. Older children need even more time to play each day.
Link : https://pathways.org/topics-of-development/play/