The first day of school is always full of excitement and apprehension, looking forward to new adventures and settling into a new routine. As summer vacation becomes a distant memory, it is important for parents and caregivers — deliberately, thoughtfully, creatively, supportively and unconditionally — to continue to make time for play, despite new, busy schooltime schedules.
Through play, children learn about the world and themselves. Regular playtime improves their cognitive, physical, social and emotional well-being, while teaching them other skills that will come in handy for their studies, career and relationships. These skills include independence, curiosity, confidence and resilience.
Here are five ways you can help make time for play until next summer starts.
Photo credit: Pixabay
1. Dedicate time
Start by simply setting a goal to have dedicated playtime for your children every day. When grownups think of setting goals, we tend to be more realistic and more serious than children when considering big things. However, putting recurring playtime on the family calendar throughout the year is just as important as focusing on our more serious objectives, and it is especially vital to ensure playtime isn’t lost to other priorities when kids get busy with homework and after-school activities.
Different circumstances will call for different approaches. Whether it is immediately after the school bus drops your kids off at home, or right before dinner, try to dedicate a time each day when kids can play without having to worry about their homework, sports or chores. Just like striving to make sure your kids drink enough water, get enough sleep, and eat their fruits and vegetables, aim to let them relax and have fun for at least an hour each day. Furthermore, to encourage parents and children to recommit and reprioritize play, Voice of Play offers the Voice of Play’s “Play Pledge.” For over two decades, the “Play Pledge” has encouraged parents and their children to commit to a goal of at least one hour of outdoor free play each day.
2. Embrace variety
There is no right or wrong type of play. Whether it is indoors or outdoors, an individual or family affair, structured or free flowing, playtime can provide a much-needed change of pace to children during the school year. The four main types of play include:
- Physical play, which encourages movement, such as dancing, ball games or visiting the playground.
- Constructive play, which allows children to experiment with drawing, music and creating things.
- Fantasy play, which lets children use their imagination with or without costumes and other props.
- Games with rules, such as board or card games, which can teach children about patience and fairness.
Parents should encourage a variety of play options with children both to help them learn about various activities and find their favorite pursuits, as well as to be fair by allowing everyone in their group to have a turn at choosing an activity. Kids naturally gravitate toward the things they know they will enjoy, so it’s important to support them in exploring other types of play they may enjoy and learn from as well.
3. Encourage imagination
Play doesn’t have to involve expensive toys or elaborate equipment — or even any toys or equipment at all. Make-believe can be just as fun, physical and educational as other games. Allowing kids to take on imaginary roles, create their own games or use everyday objects in other ways instills creative thinking and gives them a sense of creative control they will relish — and it’s also cost-effective.
Don’t underestimate the appeal of giant cardboard boxes, empty laundry baskets, pillows and blankets, wrapping paper tubes and bubble wrap — just keep an eye out for any safety hazards. You can also encourage your children to develop their imagination by giving them props — using a banana for a phone, or a chair for a boat, or a whisk and a bowl if they are pretending to be a baker.
4. Provide support
Through play, grownups can connect with children in a fun, relaxed and meaningful way, learning together, sharing the excitement and making memories. You can support and take part in any play activities, as long as you don’t direct what happens — it’s important to give children the time, freedom and choice to play. If you make all the decisions about what, when and how your kids play, they won’t enjoy their experience nearly as much as they would with the freedom to shape it according to their own ideas.
Children also like to create challenge and uncertainty in their play from time to time, to test themselves and find out their own limits, so it is often necessary to join in for training and development purposes, as well as health and safety. Start by teaching your kids basic skills, such as swimming, riding a bike and road safety. Then, you can encourage them to be bolder and help them understand their limits and boundaries, so they learn how to deal with risk through play — skills they will benefit from later in life.
5. Avoid distractions
Parallel to making time for unstructured play every day, parents should also limit screen time. The younger the child, the less time they should be using digital devices, while certain times and areas in the home should remain technology-free zones, such as the dining table and mealtimes, bedrooms and bedtime, or anywhere outdoors.
Some benefits do result from parents and children enjoying screen time together when playing educational games or watching movies, provided they then take the time to discuss lessons learned from the online activity or the story. Regardless of the activity, what matters most is to be fully present when playing with your children, and to show them a good example by limiting your own screen time when you are together.
Throughout the school year, every season has its unique wonders, fun activities, as well as yummy tastes and smells — from picking fruit and carving pumpkins to visiting corn mazes and haunted houses, to building snowmen and sledding. Be sure to incorporate these into playtime and explore them with your children to make the most of what your hometown has to offer!
