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The Role Of Play In a Child’s Development

Children joyfully play and learn together, fostering creativity and collaboration.

Play is the language of learning by doing. This is especially so for preschoolers and other early learners. They breathe games and grow through games. Play nourishes them physically, cognitively, and socially. It ensures holistic development and nurtures the child to enfold himself.

The child enters this world equipped with all it takes to explore and unravel. At Chandramari International School’s Balvatika 1 learning program, we help children learn through play.

We understand the role of play in growth and development. Play is a potent growth stimulant that captivates children’s senses, involves them physically, emotionally, and intellectually to draw connections, and satisfies their programmed curiosity and capability to engage with the world around them and learn from it. The young kid's brain and neural base grow alarmingly, prepared to take on almost anything appropriate for his age and sensory capabilities.

Play and Emotional Development

Play helps children express themselves and form opinions about themselves, others, and the world around them. It also helps them understand their emotions and learn ways of coping with contextual demands, especially as elders guide them where needed.

The system auto-readies a child for different physical and mental tasks, and the elders in charge, like teachers, should be fully aware of what is appropriate for the age and the specific child they are dealing with. It is important to remember that even young kids have unique characteristics, personalities, interests, likes, and dislikes. Personalising their experience is also, therefore, essential.

Play helps them empathise, cooperate, and regulate their feelings. It is good to give them as much autonomy as possible as they engage with toys, games, or plays of their choice. Interventions should be to prevent accidents and harm. Through games, they learn to share, take turns, negotiate and resolve conflicts, and develop social skills.

Development of Communication Skills

Along with social skills comes the complementing skill of verbal communication. Group plays are the most relevant in this context. Team games, structured interactive semi-games like Circle Time, action songs and music foster a sense of belonging, self-confidence, self-esteem, and healthy relationships. These also give them lessons for their future.

It is crucial to ensure that the children get what their development demands. A teacher should become skilled enough to know the needs of the age and the specific demands of each child’s personality. Critical stages are all the more important. The critical stage is the developmental phase that demands certain growth-dictated needs to be met. Critical-stage determined development works almost on an ‘all-or-none' principle and can not be compensated for once the child crosses the developmental stage. Late is always too late in most of these situations. Ensuring the child receives the right growth environment before a critical milestone becomes inoperable is crucial.

Also Read: How to Choose the Right Play School for Your Child

Milestones: Age-appropriate Play Activities for Growing Minds

Toddler

  • Playing with objects of different sizes and textures:
  • Throwing, dragging or stacking them one on top of the other
  • Some may start discovering their favourite corners, responding to music, etc.

Three-year-olds

  • Games that strengthen the ability to identify colours and the language associated with the play.
  • Simple Puzzles that improve finger-dexterity and fine motor skills.
  • Games to help develop gross motor skills and the ability to focus, grab, etc

Four-year-olds

  • Games to enhance listening skills, response time, and body balance. E.g., Simon Says.
  • Memory Games.
  • Activities and games to improve hand-eye coordination and turn-taking.

Five-year-olds

  • Games and activities that reinforce language growth and language to describe and report observations
  • Games that develop the skill to follow rules and strategies to engage in activities.
  • Activities for letter recognition: Eg: Alphabet Treasure Hunt

Six-year-olds

  • Games and activities to rouse curiosity in the phenomenon and introduce everyday scientific concepts.
  • Games and activities that improve physical coordination and numerical sequential abilities.
  • Activities to enhance nonverbal communication and vocabulary, e.g., Charades, indoor board games, and activities to learn the fun way to help children developmentally without losing focus on the requirements of critical stages.

How to Support Play-Based Learning

Play-based learning is a powerful tool and a necessary feed for the stage and age-dependent growth of the child. These additional tips may help you to deepen and widen the children’s experience :

  • Give your children some unstructured playtime to engage in free play and explore independently. Don’t consider the chaos that may follow destructive play. However, supervise them with minimal interference.
  • Expose your kids to various toys, art supplies, and objects that help them engage in imaginative play and play “out of the way.”
  • Play alongside your kids and be one of them. Take the lead or have them take the lead. Playing with your kids strengthens your bond and mutuality and gives them confidence that you enjoy them and their play.
  • Consider nature the best play area. A rich natural environment for exploration and discovery is a boon to a child's growing intellect, mindfulness, and emotions. Encourage outdoor activities like digging in the dirt, collecting leaves, running around, or getting wet in the rain, provided the child’s physical and medical conditions do not restrict these.

Final thoughts

Play is a crucial factor that influences and develops a child into a rounded person and a mature adult later in life. Play is central to cognitive, social, physical, and language development. Including age-appropriate, context-appropriate, and personality-appropriate games and activities can ensure unfettered development for your child. The child's brain and overall growth demand the right mix and proper exposure to play and activities. It is essential for the child’s confidence, happiness, and outlook on himself and the world around him. A well-focussed new-generation school like CMIS (Chandramari International School) can insightfully address and take care of the generic and specific requirements of the developmental stage of your children and enrich their personality to bring out the child’s best. Do not take chances. CMIS is the best CBSE School in Coimbatore and can be the best that can happen to your child!

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