
Play is central to every facet of a child’s development, yet it is often overlooked and regarded by many as unimportant. In today’s fast paced world we seem to value tests scores and academic success at a younger and younger age loosing site of the foundation upon which all learning is built - play.
The benefits of play encompass all areas of a child’s development and carry over into all areas of adult life.
Young children learn best when allowed to play freely at activities of their own choosing. When a child is allowed time to explore, create and experiment freely with adult support (rather than adult direction) they develop the skills needed to succeed in life.
Through play, children learn complex social skills, such as sharing, taking turns, and making friends. They develop confidence, are able to process and express their feelings, and work through difficult situations in a safe way. Play encourages problem solving, creative thinking, versatility, imagination and inventiveness - all traits that are valued in the adult workforce. Play builds the cognitive skills needed to learn later academic skills such as reading, writing, numeracy, science and more. Play encourages language, communication skills and creativity. Play allows a child to blossom and grow into an active learner.
We all want our children to be successful and competent in our complex, fast paced world, and one of the best ways to prepare a child for this world is by simply letting them play…. or better yet, follow their lead, join in and play with them!

Article kindly written by Kate Fairlie, photos courtesy of Barefoot magazine.