PLAY!

Play! 

How often do we rush through our day moving from task to task without considering what is going on around us? Moving within our routines and daily activities day after day can be exhausting and many times we miss things that are right in front of us. 

Young children are born curious. 

When we have the blessing of young children in our lives we are often reminded to "stop and smell the flowers."  They point out all of the things in life that at times, we can take for granted. 

Think about a time you went on a walk with a child. They continuously point out all the things they see and hear. Young children rely on their five senses to teach them about the world around them. Does this happen when you walk alone or with another adult? Typically it does not. When we are with other adults we walk from point A to point B without noticing a squirrel in the tree or a spider walking across our path. When young children come into our lives and share these new found fascinations it can be both a blessing and at times frustrating. 

As the adult, we have the time and energy for these slow and curious walks when our agenda allows for it. Other times, we need to be at an appointment or drop a child off at school. Our agenda creates a source of frustration for a child that would love to stop and examine each bug they find along the way. Think about that for just a moment. 

The adults agenda has a significant impact on a child connecting with the world around them at any given time. 

Does this same thing happen when a child engages in play? Does the adults level of engagement, time, attention or agenda help or hinder children's growth and development during play? 

The answer is YES! 

Children learn about the world around them by exploring, using all of there senses, and engaging with their environment. Children spend their day with times of structured play and unstructured play. Structured play has a desired or specific outcome while unstructured play allows the child to use their imagination to engage in the materials available to them. Both are important in the brain development of young children and it is critical that adults offer both types of play to young children. 

The article Parents' Guide to Structured vs Unstructured Play ( Pathways.org) offers parents a brief overview on the importance of both types of play.