Supreme Special: When Children Play
A seasoned educator and children’s television host Fred Rogers said “ Play is serious learning and not a relief from serious learning as many think”. Play was often talked about as a relief from serious learning but the role it plays in the social –emotional, mental, intellectual development of a child cannot be underestimated .That […]
A seasoned educator and children’s television host Fred Rogers said “ Play is serious learning and not a relief from serious learning as many think”. Play was often talked about as a relief from serious learning but the role it plays in the social –emotional, mental, intellectual development of a child cannot be underestimated .That is why it should be treated as essential as learning rather than as children’s relief from serious learning .For most people including parents learning is memorizing, counting, writing, demonstration and so on, while play is just for the fun which has no element of learning. Meanwhile play is so important to the optimal development of a child that it has been recognized by the United Nations High Commission for Human Rights as “A right of a child”
WHAT THEN IS PLAY?
Defining play can be difficult because it means different things to different people. Simply put play is what children engage in to have fun.
WHY SHOULD CHILDREN PLAY ?
- Children should play because it is their right. This is according to United nations High Commission for Human Rights. Apart from that play contributes in no small way in the social, emotional cognitive and mental wellbeing of children, although most parents and care givers rarely associate play with learning.
- It helps children engage and interact in the world around them, create and explore the world they can master and conquer their fears.
- Children develop their leadership and their decision making skills through play, they learn how to resolve conflict, how to negotiate ,play encourages team work and exchange of ideas among children, and how to defend themselves when necessary
- When play is child centered ,children discover their strength, weaknesses opportunities and threat, they are encouraged to engage fully in the passion they wish to pursue with the proper guide from parents and caregivers.
- Children can also process their emotions through play .For example a child or his team looses a competition the child learns through the loss to process sadness, anger , and grief. The same child also learns to manage excitement when he or his team wins any competition . Well regulated children can wait for a turn ,control negative emotions and persist through challenging activities. Therefore play promotes self regulation, self esteem in children according to Kin Wheeler Poetevien.
- Immensely ,play contributes to the cognitive ,linguistics creative and social development of a child, Edward Fisher said after a research carried out on children .Pretend play for example requires children to imagine their own scenarios and art them out.
Summarily, play is so valuable to children that its benefits cannot be over emphasized. Run ,jump, and dance with your children, art drama with them( this sounds funny, at the same time it serves as a very powerful tool for bonding with them).Play help children to grow into intelligent, dependable, and healthy adults. Children who do not play outside have high risk of attention and behavioral problems. Building blocks, video games are good and should be used moderately.
Krystal IBHADE Tamunosiki
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