Make the Most of Play Time

Excerpts taken from an article published in the October 2016 issue of Baby Talk.

Playing with your child in the first three years of life helps the two of you build a warm and loving relationship. Playing together also supports the development of essential social skills (like sharing and turn taking), language skills (like labeling objects, making requests, commenting), and thinking skills (like problem-solving).

For babies and toddlers, play is their “work.” It is through play and repetition that babies and toddlers try out and master new skills. Through play, they learn what can happen as a result of an action, explore their imagination and creativity, learn to communicate, and learn about relationships with other people. Any activity can be playful to young children, whether it’s a game of peek-a-boo or helping you wipe the table with a sponge. And all types of play help children learn and practice new skills.

So what can you do to make the most of your child's playtime? Check out the tips below.

Follow Your Child’s Lead Provide an object, toy, or activity for your baby or toddler and then see what he/she does with it. When your child plays, it's okay if it's not the "right" way...let him/her show you a "new way." For example, when you hand your child a plastic cup, instead of pretending to drink from it, he/she might put it on his/her head as a “party hat”. Support your child’s creativity and join in the birthday play.

Go Slowly It's great to show your child how a toy works, but try to hold off on "doing it for him/her" every time. You can begin something, such as stacking one block on another, and then encourage your child to give it a try. Providing just enough help to keep frustration at bay motivates your child to learn new skills.

Read Your Child’s Signals Your little one might not be able to tell you with words when he/she's had enough or when he/she's frustrated. But your child has other ways— like using sounds, facial expressions, and gestures. Reading these signals can also tell you what activities your child prefers. Reading the signals that come before a tantrum help you know when to jump in or change to a new activity.

Look at Your Play Space Is the area where you play child-friendly and child-safe? Is there too much noise or other distractions? Is the area safe to explore? Is this a good place for the activity you've chosen, such as running, throwing balls, or painting? Checking out your space beforehand can prevent a tantrum, an accident, or a broken lamp.

Play It Again, Sam While doing things over and over again is not necessarily thrilling for Mom and Dad, it is for young children. They are practicing in order to master a challenge. And when your child can do it “all by myself!” he/she is rewarded with a powerful sense of his/her own skills and abilities—the confidence that he/she is a smart and successful being. The more children have a chance to practice and master new skills, the more likely they are to take on new challenges and learn new things. So when you’re tempted to hide that toy because you don’t think you can stand playing with it one more time, remember how important repetition is to your child’s development.

To read the full article, go to  http://csefel.vanderbilt.edu/documents/make_the_most_of_playtime2.pdf