Play Isn’t Just Play

Parents often sit back and reminisce about the care-free days of playing on the playground or with friend in the backyard. But play is an important step in the learning process. You would be surprised at how different types of play help with your child’s development. Let’s take a look at some types of play and what they really do for your child.

Blocks
What do blocks and math have in common? Believe or not, several studies have shown that playing with blocks at a young age result in kids having higher math scores and better problem solving skills.

Pretend play
Pretend play ultimately helps children start to comprehend abstract thought. In addition, language, movement, emotion, and thinking are all critical skills that can be exercised while your child is playing out their favorite fairytale in their head.

Playing outside
Remember when your mother said, go outside, the fresh air will do you good. Well she was right. Studies all show that children who spend time playing outside have better test scores. And in a stressful world, children who spend time outside often show lower levels of stress.

Board games
You remember board games right? That’s what kids did before gaming systems and cell phones. Well, you should think about dusting them off because board games are great learning tools. They help reinforce the importance of rules, develop math and counting skills and they demonstrate the importance of working as a group.

So don’t let playtime go to waste. Look for opportunities for your children to learn and play and give them a head start toward the future. At Goddard we emphasize the importance of learning through play.