The Importance of Play

Often we get questions from parents about why the children at our centers play so much. And the answer is that play is very important work!

Play is the way that children explore and learn about the world around them. Meaningful play allows children to develop both their brains and their bodies! It is also very important in developing a child’s personal social skills, emotional development and, problem solving skills. Pretend play really gives children a vehicle to explore each of these areas and develop their own personalities!

Here is an example of play in action: A child is building a tower in the block center with friends. In order to accomplish this goal the child must be able to work together with friends to come up with a design and share materials. In the construction of the tower the child must use gross motor and fine motor skills to get the blocks and to build the tower. In addition, the child must use math and science skills to determine the best structure to make a tall tower that won’t fall down. The children also will use problem solving skills to figure out what to do it the tower does fall down and what might be the best approach next time.

As you can see, children can learn a lot through play!