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The Importance of Pretend Play
We often hear parents, teachers and caretakers gripe about how they cannot get their kids to sit still. Research shows that the main reason kids are unable to focus and socialize properly can be traced back to a lack of play in their childhood.
A recent article by Angela Hanscom, a pediatric occupational therapist and founder of TimberNook, shares on her realization on the importance of play for preschoolers.
Ages 0 – 7 are traditionally known as the “pre-academic” age. Yet many parents, with the desire to enrich their children’s life and give them a head start, give them academic schooling early on in their childhood to prepare their toddlers for kindergarten. Although the intentions are right, children need a healthy balance of play and academics in order to develop healthy bodies and minds. Hanscom got a wake up call when her daughter’s preschool teacher came and told her, “Your daughter is doing well academically. In fact, I’d say she exceeds expectations in these areas. But she is having trouble with basic social skills like sharing and taking turns.”
Many of us are so focused on academic success for our children that sometimes we forget play is a huge (and necessary) part of childhood. Actually, much of a child’s development is acquired through "meaningful" play. These are skills that cannot necessarily be taught by caregivers, but rather skills that the child develops on their own. Through active free play, a child starts to build many of the foundational life skills that they will need to be successful in their lifetime. They benefit from skills such as coordination, concentration, emotional management, problem-solving and social interactions.
If we give children the opportunity to play outdoors, use their imaginations, to experience free play and to play with their peers; we may find that the coping skills, social skills and attention skill that we attempt to “teach” our children are actually naturally developed through meaningful play. We simply need to allow our kids to be kids!
source: The Washington Post
The Decline of Play in Preschoolers - and the Rise in Sensory Issues
Social and Emotional Skills
When your child engages in pretend (or dramatic) play, he is actively experimenting with the social and emotional roles of life. Through cooperative play, he learns how to take turns, share responsibility, and creatively problem-solve. When your child pretends to be different characters, he has the experience of "walking in someone else's shoes," which helps teach the important moral development skill of empathy. It is normal for young children to see the world from their own egocentric point of view, but through maturation and cooperative play, your child will begin to understand the feelings of others. Your child also builds self-esteem when he discovers he can be anything just by pretending!
Language Skills
Have you ever listened in as your child engages in imaginary play with his toys or friends? You will probably hear some words and phrases you never thought he knew! In fact, we often hear our own words reflected in the play of children. Kids can do a perfect imitation of mom, dad, and the teacher! Pretend play helps your child understand the power of language. In addition, by pretend playing with others, he learns that words give him the means to reenact a story or organize play. This process helps your child to make the connection between spoken and written language — a skill that will later help him learn to read.
Thinking Skills
Pretend play provides your child with a variety of problems to solve. Whether it's two children wanting to play the same role or searching for the just right material to make a roof for the playhouse, your child calls upon important cognitive thinking skills that he will use in every aspect of his life, now and forever.
Does your child enjoy a bit of roughhousing? Great! Some researchers in early brain development believe that this sort of play helps develop the part of the brain (the frontal lobe) that regulates behaviour. So instead of worrying that this type of activity will encourage your child to act out or become too aggressive, be assured that within a monitored situation, roughhouse play can actually help your child learn the self-regulation skills needed to know how and when this type of play is appropriate.
Nurturing the Imagination
Not enough pretend play at your house? Consider creating a prop box or corner filled with objects to spark your preschooler's fantasy world. You might include:
Large plastic crates, cardboard blocks, or a large, empty box for creating a "home"
Old clothes, shoes, backpacks, hats
Old telephones, phone books, magazines
Cooking utensils, dishes, plastic food containers, table napkins, silk flowers
Stuffed animals and dolls of all sizes
Fabric pieces, blankets, or old sheets for making costumes or a fort
Theme-appropriate materials such as postcards, used plane tickets, foreign coins, and photos for a pretend vacation trip
Writing materials for taking phone messages, leaving notes, and making shopping lists
source: Schoolastic-Parents