![]() Benefits of Play
Play is the way for learning Play is the way to have fun Play is the way to learn to think Play is the way to greater understanding of the world around us Play is the way to develop the skills which lead to reading, writing, and math Play is the way to challenge and overcome Play is the way to have fun as a family (TLFNZ) Play is the way to learn, persevere, imagine, create, inspire, and have fun. Toys are tools for learning and play is what creates connections in the brain for future development. Research shows that children benefit from playing freely. To play, children don’t necessarily need toys. Sticks, mud, and boxes make wonderful free play toys. But toys provide the inspiration to develop children’s own style of play and in our sanitised society, toys replicate the places, and things previous generations have had easier access to in nature. Research funded by “Milo” shows many children have less and less free play than any generation before with focus changing – some parents are now restricting free play by creating opportunities for children to learn a language, play sport, or being in a classroom at a younger age...the toy library offers a balance between commitments for young children and the opportunities for life long learning through free play. Here are just some benefits:
Free
play is essential for wellbeing, sense of belonging, holistic development,
empowerment, exploration, and communication. By not having the chance for free
play under the pressures of society today, whether it’s through school
curricula or an imbalance of structured play (that is children not making the
rules in their play i.e. video game, adult coached game etc...); this can have
a subsequent effect on emotional control, social competency, personal
resiliency, and curiosity of the child both now and in the future. Some names to look for if you wish to look further on the benefits of play or the repercussions of not having free-play include Dorathee Degan-Zimmerman, Sergio Pellis, and Stuart Brown. |