Playtime Concepts

A child's playtime is much more than just recreation. The benefits that a child gets from play span across the entire range of his health and well being. Different experts hold different opinions on the various developmental and health benefits offered by play, but the one consensus is that the activity of play itself is absolutely critical to the well-being of a child.

  1. Mental Development

    • One important aspect of playtime is that it stimulates the mental development of children. The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommends that children be given unstructured playtime to play with toys like blocks or Legos. These types of toys require the children to use their imagination which helps stimulate creativity and thinking processes. Toys that require the participation of the child, instead of entertainment such as video games or television, should be encouraged by parents and doctors according to the AAP report.

    Physical Development

    • Childhood obesity is certainly a concern for the entire country. Play activities help children to develop bodies that are healthy and strong. According to Sheila Milnes of Penn State University, children should be encouraged to play outdoors much more than they currently do. By the time children reach pre-school, they should get at least an hour of organized physical activity daily and another hour, if not more, of unstructured outdoors or physical playtime.

    Social Development

    • Some people feel that children should play with other children as often as possible while growing up. This helps children develop social skills that allow them to interact in a positive manner with other children. These are important skills to have developed by the time a child enters school. Children need to play with other kids, along with their parents. When parents play with children, they can simulate interactions that a child might have with other kids and help their child see the right way to handle interactions, such as conflict over a toy.

    Emotional Development

    • When a person gets older, conversation and communication helps him to work through emotional problems or frustrations that he might encounter. Children who are young don't have the communication tools to work through many emotional problems. Play, on the other hand, helps your child to work through and express emotions that he experiences. Observing children at play also helps parents see what types of issues children are having as they get older.

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