3/2/2017 Importanceofplayforbabies&children|RaisingChildrenNetwork

Home/choolAge/Pla&learning/Plaideas

Whplaisimportant
Plaismorethanjustfunforaiesandchildren.Itshowthelearnest,andhowthe
workoutwhotheare,howtheworldworksandwherethefitintoit.

Youcanreadthisarticleinaselectionoflanguagesotherthannglish.

Theimportanceofpla
Plaingisoneofthemostimportantthingsoucandowithourchild,ecauseplais
essentialforourchildsraindevelopment.Thetimeouspendplaingtogether
givesourchildlotsofdifferentwasandtimestolearn.

Plaalsohelpsourchild:

uildconfidence
feelloved,happandsafe
developsocialskills,languageandcommunication
learnaoutcaringforothersandtheenvironment
developphsicalskills.

Yourchildwillloveplaingwithou,utsometimesshemightprefertoplaherselfandwontneed
somuchhands-onplafromou.hemightjustwantoutogiveherideasandletherknowhowher
plaandgamesaregoing.

Differenttpesofpla
Unstructured,freeplaistheesttpeofplaforoungchildren.

Thisisplathatjusthappens,dependingonwhattakesourchildsinterestatthetime.Freeplaisntplanned
andletsourchildusehisimaginationandmoveathisownpace.

xamplesofunstructuredplamighte:

creativeplaaloneorwithothers,includingartisticormusicalgames
imaginativegamesforexample,makingcuhouseswithoxesorlankets,dressinguporplaing
make-elieve
exploringneworfavouriteplaspaceslikecupoards,ackards,parks,plagroundsandsoon.
Youcanepartofourchildsunstructuredplaornot.ometimesalloullneedtodoispointherintheright
directiontowardsthejumleofdress-upsandtosonherfloor,ortothetalewithcraonsandpaper.
ometimesoumightneedtoeaitmoreactive.Forexample,Howaoutwepladress-ups?Whatdoou
wanttoetoda?.

tructuredplaisdifferent.Itsmoreorganisedandhappensatafixedtimeorinasetspace,andisoftenleda
grown-up.

xamplesofstructuredplainclude:

waterfamiliarisationclassesfortoddlers,orswimminglessonsforolderchildrenoumightseethese
asimportantlessonsforourchild,uthemightjustthinktherefun
stortellinggroupsfortoddlersandpreschoolersatthelocallirar
dance,musicordramaclassesforchildrenofallages
familoardorcardgames

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3/2/2017 Importanceofplayforbabies&children|RaisingChildrenNetwork
modifiedsportsforslightlolderchildren,likeIn2CRICKT,AussieHoopsasketall,NetetGOnetall,
ComeandTrRug,andAuskickfootall.

tructuredandunstructuredplacanhappenindoorsoroutdoors.Outdoorplagivesourchildthe
chancetoexplore,eactive,testphsicallimitsandgetmess!

Howpladevelopswithourchild
Asourchildgrows,thewasheplaswillchangeshellgetmorecreativeandexperimentmorewithtos,
gamesandideas.Thismightmeansheneedsmorespaceandtimetopla.

Also,childrenmovethroughdifferentformsofplaasthegrow.Thisincludesplaingalone,plaingalongside
otherchildrenandinteractiveplawithotherchildren.

Newornsandaies
Foraies,theesttoisou.Justlookingatourfaceandhearingourvoiceisplaforournewa,
especiallifouresmiling.

Youmightliketotrthefollowingplaideasandactivitieswithourlittleone:

Music,songs,gentletappingonourastummwhileousing,ellsorcontainersfilledwith
differentojects:theseactivitiescanhelpdevelophearingandmovement.
Ojectsofdifferentsizes,coloursandshapescanencourageourchildtoreachandgrasp.
turdfurniture,alls,tosoroxescangetourchildcrawling,standingandwalking.
Regulartummtimeandfloorplaareverimportantforourasdevelopment.Tummtimehelpsoura
developmovementcontrolstrengtheninghead,neckandodmuscles.Italsoallowsouratoseeand
experiencetheworldfromadifferentperspective.

Toddlers
Herearesomeideasourtoddlermightenjo:

igandlightthingslikecardoardoxes,ucketsorlow-upallscanencourageourchildtorun,
uild,pushordrag.
Chalk,rope,musicorcontainerscanencouragejumping,kicking,stomping,steppingandrunning.
Hoops,oxes,largerocksorpillowsaregoodforclimingon,alancing,twisting,swaingorrolling.
Hills,tunnelsornookscanencouragephsicalactivitieslikecrawlingandexploring.
Ifouputonsomefavouritemusicwhileourtoddlerplas,hecanalsoexperimentwithdifferentsoundsand
rhthms.Youmightalsoliketosing,danceandclapalongtomusicwithourchild.

Preschoolers
Herearesomeideastogetourpreschoolersmindandodgoing:

Oldmilkcontainers,woodenspoons,emptpotplantcontainers,sticks,scrunched-uppaper,plastic
uckets,saucepansandoldclothesaregreatforimaginative,unstructuredpla.
implejigsawpuzzlesandmatchinggameslikeanimaldominoeshelpimproveourchildsmemorand
concentration.
Pladoughandclahelpourchilddevelopfinemotorskills.
Favouritemusicorpotsandpansaregreatforadanceconcertortomakeupmusic.
allsandfriseescanencouragekicking,throwingorrolling.
Whenencouragingourchildtokickorthrow,trtogethertouseonesideofherod,thentheother.

chool-agechildren
Yourschool-agechildcanhavefunwiththefollowingojectsandactivities:

Furniture,linen,washingaskets,tentsandoxesaregreatforuilding.
Home-madeostaclecoursescangetourchildmovingindifferentwas,directionsandspeeds.
RhmesorgameslikeIspwithmlittleee,somethingthateginswitharegreatforwordplaand
helpdevelopliteracskills.

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3/2/2017 Importanceofplayforbabies&children|RaisingChildrenNetwork
implecookingorfoodpreparationlikemeasuring,stirringandservingfoodisgreatfordeveloping
numeracandeverdaskills.
Yourchildsownimagination:withimagination,ourchildcanturnhimselfintoafavouritesuperheroor
storcharacter.
Ifourchildisinterested,oucouldthinkaoutgettingherintosomesportsorteamactivitiesforschool-age
children.Otherpossiilitiesincludeafter-schoolorholidaartandcraftactivities.

Youdonthavetospendlotsofmoneontos,gamesandooksforchildren.Homemadetosand
freeactivitiesareoftenthemostcreativewasforouandourchildtohavefuntogether.

Ifourchilddoesntwanttopla
Theremightetimeswhenourchilddoesntwanttoplaforexample,hecouldetiredororeddoingthe
sameactivitfortoolong.Thisisnormalandusuallnothingtoworraout.

utsometimesalackofplaoralackofinterestinplacaneasignofadevelopmentaldisorder.

Considerspeakingwithahealthprofessionalorourchildseducatorif:

ouradoesntseemtogetintointeractiveplalikepeekaoo
ourtoddlerhasonlanarrowinterestintos,ordoesntusetosinafunctionalwaforexample,is
onlinterestedinspinningthewheelsofatocarinsteadofdrivingitaroundtheroomlikeother
childrenthesameage
ourpreschoolerisntinterestedinplaingwithotherchildren,orisntinterestedinplaingpretend
games.
Languagesotherthannglish
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Vietnamese(PDF:236k)

Video Plaandlearningatplagroups

Thisvideoexplainshow
plagroupscangiveourchild
somegreatplaandlearning
opportunities.Forexample,
plagroupscanhelpchildrenstart
learningsocialskillslike
communicating,sharingand
takingturns.Theseareskills
childrenneedforplaingwith
othersandgettingalongwith
grown-ups.

Thevideoalsoincludes
informationonchildcareand
preschool,andhowthese
environmentscanenefit
Downloadvideo 22m children.

Moretoexplore
Plaingwithneworns
Plaingwithoura

http://raisingchildren.net.au/articles/why_play_is_important.html#LOTE 3/4
3/2/2017 Importanceofplayforbabies&children|RaisingChildrenNetwork
Toddlersatpla
Preschoolersatpla
chool-agechildrenatpla
Plaandfriendshipforchildrenwithdisailit
Plaforchildrenwithautismspectrumdisorder

GLOARY
finemotorskills
Thephsicalskillsrequiredforcoordinatedsmallmusclemovementslikepickingupsmallthingsetweenthe
thumandafinger.

Lastupdatedorreviewed
09-12-2016

eereferences

http://raisingchildren.net.au/articles/why_play_is_important.html#LOTE 4/4