Giving the Gift of Play is Not Easy But It Is One of the Best Gifts

Giving the Gift of Play is not easy

I am reading the book Play written by Stuart Brown, MD which is an excellent read.  I already knew that play is crucial for childhood development but to read it all in one book is refreshing in this day and age of technology.  In one of the chapters, he discusses the gift of play. After reading the section, it made me consider how parents every day strive to give children the gift of play.  There are days that is it is so easy to give children the gift of play (which is essentially the gift of time to explore their environment freely).  I have to admit though that giving your children the gift of play is not always an easy thing to do.  In fact it is so hard that it occasionally makes me want to be someone who can just say “go watch tv” or “go play on your tablet/phone” rather than make the effort.  Here is why it is so tempting to just over schedule kids and digitally sedate them.  Giving the gift of free play requires that you:

  1. Listen to your children argue. When children are given the time to play freely there is guaranteed to be a disagreement.
  2. Listen to your children whine that they are bored or have nothing to do.
  3. Be interrupted while you try to accomplish your tasks.
  4. Will walk through messy rooms or yards.
  5. Will watch them take risks and possibly fail (i.e. just finished bandaging the cut on my son’s leg from a power tool).

That can be super hard to do sometimes and nerve wracking for sure.  I know, I live it everyday.  BUT and it is a big BUT, I keep telling myself what my children gain from receiving the gift of play:

  1. Arguments help children with social emotional regulation skills.  They learn to lose and win in a non-threatening setting.
  2. Boredom ignites creativity.
  3. When children have to wait they are taught manners and self regulation skills.
  4. FUN!
  5. Sense of accomplishment when successful and a sense of perseverance when not are two wonderful benefits of risk taking.

Read more on how to give the gift of play to children.