The Potential of Play: How Games For Kids Help Them Thrive

Introduction

 

There are many kids’ games that play a fundamental activity for the development and learning of children. At the beginning, they are simple body movements that, little by little, are expanded and made more complex to introduce other elements. Over time, these games for kids at home allow them to develop their imagination, explore their environment, express their worldview, develop their creativity, and develop social-emotional skills among peers and adults.

In this way, the game contributes to their psychomotor, cognitive, and physical maturation, it also affirms the affective bond with their parents and promotes socialization. Therefore, these outdoor and indoor games for kids are one of the means with the greatest impact on children to develop new skills and concepts through their own experience.

Children spend a large part of their time playing. The type of game is modified and adapted to the age. But more than a means of fun, it is a motivating teaching activity for children.

Later, at the time of incorporation to school, games for kids are part of school and home, and it is when through play, children imitate reality, representing what they have lived or want to live, allowing themselves to externalize their emotions as joys, sadness, frustrations, etc.

As parents, it is important to encourage and participate in play activities with children, due to the fundamental role they play in the development of children as well as the importance they play in strengthening the effective bond between parents and children.

 

4 Benefits of Play to Enhance Child Development

 

The Game Is a Practical and Inexpensive Solution

 

Games for kids do not require investing money every time and are easy to incorporate into families’ daily routines. Families can promote development through simple play activities that can be done at home, with elements common to all homes. Also, there are many online kid’s games that the whole family can enjoy.

 

Playing Strengthens the Neural Connections of the Little Ones

 

Everyday games for kids between adults and babies are especially powerful for brain development. There is a moment of pure joy, generated by the interaction itself and by the pleasure that the baby’s brain experiences in learning and discovering new things. Games for kids are much more than just games, they are activities that can help children create bonds with their parents.

 

Play Protects and Helps Cope with Stressful Situations

 

In addition to the benefits for skill development and its effects on development throughout life, play also provides a supportive context to help children cope with stress and adversity by enabling them to:

• Create imaginary events that they can control and that allow them to express negative emotions freely, improving their mood and reducing anxiety.
• Understand their experiences and find new ways to cope with difficult situations.
• Develop the ability to regulate your emotions and behavior.

 

Playing Also Benefits the Adults in the Family

 

These benefits extend to parents. It is found that 9 out of 10 parents expressed that playing with their kids helped them to experience their own happiness, and made them feel relaxed, energetic, and more creative. These benefits also occur in families in adverse situations. Games for kids played at home improve adults’ abilities to deal with stress and anxiety. There are many  indoor games for kids that parents can enjoy too.

 

7 Skills Kids Develop Through Play

 

Physical

 

Children move constantly, thus developing their psychomotor coordination and gross and fine motor skills. When they move, they exercise without realizing it. Exercise is healthy for their whole body and generates fatigue, which in turn contributes to good sleep.

 

Sensory and Mental Development

 

Early stimulation exercises that encourage discrimination in shapes, sizes, colors, and textures are the most entertaining way to develop intellectual capacity. Games such as puzzles, memory games, or logic games improve concentration and stimulate cognitive development.

 

Affective

 

By experiencing emotions such as surprise, anticipation, or joy, children learn to know each other better. With this they learn little by little to regulate and control their emotional states, something basic for their well-being. Games for kids like “leading the blind” or “falling back” help build trust in the other person.

Whether remembering movie scenes or playing to impersonate puppets with different moods, makes children experience emotions through the characters and make them their own.

 

Creativity and Imagination

 

From the age of two onwards, children incorporate imagination into their play, along with imitation.

It is important to encourage his creativity. Scenarios such as castles or pirate ships inspire the action games that your child enjoys so much. Others, like playing warehouse or acting out professions, make it easy for your imagination to run wild.

 

Form Habits of Cooperation

 

Encourage games where there is no competition between those who participate; this promotes the development of teamwork. An easy example is to gather a group of children and invite them to build a castle with boxes and/or other items reused at home.

 

Conclusion

 

Today we have extensive scientific evidence of the importance of games for kids and learning through play and a growing understanding of the benefits of play as a protective factor in stressful situations, making play a powerful strategy to help children and adults cope with the pandemic.

Also, what better way to connect with the children than to descend to their level and see the world as they do? This means that we are genuinely and decisively participating in your world and that we care to understand it. This creates strong bonds and helps them develop emotional and social skills. A healthy relationship with parents is a very important foundation for their growth. This relationship lays the foundation for the infant’s personality and general behavior.

 

Also Read:

Top 10 Interesting and Fun Online Kids Games to Play Over Zoom

Don’t miss out on these 8 Parenting Tips During Coronavirus OutBreak

Outdoor Games and It’s Benefits for Kids