Unscheduled, unsupervised, playtime is one of the most valuable educational opportunities we give our children.
Research shows that play is vital to a child’s development. Engaging in play helps develop:
- Cognitive skills
- physical skills
- social skills
- emotional skills
Play offers an ideal opportunity to engage with others, to develop communication, work as a team, take risks, problem solve and develop negotiation skills. Play supports our children in to become more resilient to life’s challenges.
So let's make more time for free play. Let your child take the lead. This is not just an opportunity to let kids be kids but as something, that sparks the fire for a child’s development.
Let them be:
a creator of forts, cars, Lego models..
an explorer (climb a tree, find some bugs…)
the superhero
In our fast changing world, with the continual growth of technology such as artificial intelligence and machine learning means that children starting school today will be working in jobs that are yet to exist. The importance of the skills play promotes in the face of our changing world has never been higher.
The more our children play today, the more prepared future generations will be. Play is needed to provide us with people who can resolve conflict, problem solve, build socially connected communities and inspire society to flourish.
Empower your child to grow and learn so they are prepared for their future.
Go have Fun in the Sun
By Sarah Winstanley