Why is it important for my son or daughter to play?
Playing is not a waste of time. It is the natural way children learn, relate to others and understand what they feel.
Between homework, after-school activities and screens, time for free play has been shrinking. And yet it is one of the most valuable activities of childhood.
What they learn through play
- To think. Planning, solving problems, imagining.
- To get on with others. Negotiating rules, waiting their turn, giving way.
- To regulate themselves. Coping with losing, controlling impulses.
- To express emotions. In pretend play they rehearse fears and new situations.
- To move. Coordination, strength and balance.
Free play
This is play the child decides on and leads, without an adult setting out what to do. It does not need expensive toys: boxes, sticks, dressing-up clothes or a ball offer more possibilities than many gadgets.
Our role
Set aside time every day, offer space and simple materials, and go outdoors whenever possible. When we play with them, let them take the lead. And put up with boredom: it is often the minute before a good idea.
Play at every age
At ten or twelve they still need to play, even if the play changes: sport, board games, building things, making up stories.
The right to play is recognised in the Convention on the Rights of the Child. It is not a luxury.