Play is a very essential part of a child’s development. Despite this, many parents in this part of the world see it as a distraction to their child’s learning. RALIAT AHMED writes on the many benefits play holds for children.
All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy, so the saying goes. Play is an essential part of a child’s life. While children might not realise it at the time, during play they learn valuable skills that will be useful throughout their life. Whether they are enjoying a game or playing with some insect or a pet, one can be rest assured that the child is benefiting from the experience.
While ensuring a child is academically sound should be the aim of every parent, there are other things children should be doing as well, and that is playing. Preventing children from play as punishment might be counterproductive.
According to a 2009 study in the journal Paediatrics, kids behave better in the classroom when they have the chance to let off steam on the playground during the day. Researchers compared teacher ratings of eight and nine-year-olds’ behaviour in schools with and without recess periods. The children who had more than 15 minutes a day of break time behaved better during academic time. Unfortunately, 30 per cent of the more than 10,000 children in the study had no recess or less than 15 minutes of break time each day.
Play teaches children to be nice, says another research published in the Early Childhood Education Journal. It revealed that both free play and adult-guided play can help pre-school children learn awareness of other people’s feelings. Playing also helps kids to regulate their own emotions, a skill that serves them well as they move through life.
Mrs. Maryam Audu, a psychologist, says that during play, children learn a lot more than one can imagine. “If they are playing basketball for example, there are a number of skills they are learning,” she says.
“Apart from becoming fitter and stronger, which helps to improve concentration levels as well as prevent illnesses, they are also expanding the tactical side of their brains because when you look at it, sport is all about unlocking a puzzle and breaking down defences. If they can figure out a way to break down the opposition’s defences, then they can go on to win the game.
“Apart from sports, toys are also a great way to increase a child’s imagination, as they allow them to try out things they wouldn’t necessarily be able to do in real life. Dolls, teddies and figures are fun to play with and they allow them to practice role-playing skills. They also help them get a better understanding of life and how communication works,” she said.
The American Heart Association recommends that children over the age of two engage in at least an hour a day of moderate, enjoyable physical activity. There’s evidence that active children grow into active adults, thus decreasing their risk of heart disease and other scourges of a sedentary lifestyle. A study published a few years back in the American Journal of Preventative Medicine, followed Finnish citizens over 21 years and found that the most active nine to 18-year-olds remained highly active later in life.
Another study published in the Journal of School Health found that the more physical activity tests children can pass, the more likely they are to do well in academic tests. That suggests unrelenting classroom time may not be the best way to improve test scores and learning, says a psychologist.
Dr. Isah Omadai, a medical practitioner and a father of three, says that he allows his children to play because apart from allowing their brains to relax, it also helps them to rehearse what they have learnt in school.
“Again, when children play, they are less nervous, the tension in them is released and they are able to assimilate things better. In bringing up a child, it is not all about just reading their books; play brings out the talents, skills and gifts in a child,” he says.
Giving a practical example, he said that his children attend a British school, which has resulted in them having a British accent. “When they play with other children, their friends tend to copy the accent by trying to speak the way my children speak. This helps to polish their diction,” he says.
He, however, cautioned that too much play is bad for a child, because it makes them dull. “Parents should ensure that they have a timetable for their children; there should be time for play, study, watching cartoons, doing homework and above all, serving siesta,” he advises.
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