| |
Play Is Serious Business For Childrens' Intelligence
By Jon Weaver
Too many parents consider play as simply a means of
diverting and distracting their children. Playthings are
often seen as a means of keeping children happy, rewarding
them, keeping them out of mischief, and giving parents free
time.
Not often enough do parents think of play and toys as
fundamental aspects of a child's education, as a means
through which children learn to understand the world around
them, and as the primary method by which children acquire
many basic skills.
Parents can help make their children's play stimulating by
doing three things.
First, they can adopt an attitude of
conscious, deliberate planning in which play is regarded as
one of the most important aspects of their children's
environment.
Second, they can see to it that their children
are provided with the kinds of toys and playthings that will
help develop the widest possible varieties of skills and
abilities.
Third, they can assume a direct, participating
role in their children's play.
Planning a child's play does not mean planning each activity
for every moment of the child's playtime. On the contrary,
children should have maximum independence in choosing their
own activities. And, within the limits of the daily routine
of the home, a child should also choose the time for their
activities, as well as the duration of each. Good
planning makes sure that play is as varied and stimulating
as possible.
A child should play at different times, with friends, with
parents, and by theirself. This play should include, within a
period of about a month, all or most of the following types
of activities, each geared to the age level of the child.
Here are 5 of them:
#1. Games
Games are perhaps the most basic of all forms of play. From
peek-a-boo to chess, from pat-a-cake to baseball, games
occupy a central role in the lives of most children from
infancy to adolescence. Games may be physical or mental. In
general they involve the development of skills, although
some lead to the acquisition of information.
#2. Arts and Crafts
Arts and crafts give children many opportunities to express
their desire to make things. Crayons, paints, clay,
construction paper, scissors and paste, wood, leather, felt,
and cardboard are among the materials that help children
develop their creative imaginative, and aesthetic abilities.
Arts and crafts also develop skills in manipulation,
perception, and analysis.
#3. Construction Play
Construction play involves assembling objects from what are
usually prefabricated parts. It is less creative than arts
and crafts, but is also useful in developing many skills.
Putting together a set of railroad tracks and trains is a
form of construction play, as is play with erector sets,
Tinker toys, blocks and the like.
#4. Projective Play
Protective play is play in which a child adds dramatic and
emotional meaning to activities with representative
toys¡ªdolls, trucks, soldiers, homemaking sets, and doctor
kits. Its great value lies in the role playing done by the
child rather than in the development of specific skills.
#5. Hobbies
Hobbies which cannot be otherwise classified will generally
fall under the heading of collecting activities. Collecting
stamps, coins, rocks and minerals, butterflies and insects,
sea shells, and leaves are all common and popular hobbies.
While some help in the development of certain skills, their
greatest value is in the considerable knowledge a child can
acquire in pursuing them.
Most play can be classified in one of these five groups,
and, ideally, play should include all of these types. Also,
as skills develop, the activities should move to a higher,
more mature level.
However, a child does not automatically vary his play or
develop in it. This is where the parent's planning comes
in ¡ª- continually making the child aware of the broad
opportunities available to him in play; initiating certain
activities during playtime; making suggestions when the
child needs and wants them; buying toys that will, in
themselves, lead to new pursuits; stimulating new interests
and ideas in any of a variety of ways. The parent should not
manage the child's play, but should try to nudge it in the
right directions.
About the Author
FREE valuable information on Gifted Children and raising IQ
scores can be found here at All for Gifted Children. Visit
it today! http://www.AllForGiftedChildren.com
Article Source: http://www.simplysearch4it.com/article/12305.html
| If you wish to add the above article to your website or newsletters then please include the "Article Source: http://www.simplysearch4it.com/article/12305.html" as shown above and make it hyperlinked. |
| Some other articles by Jon Weaver | 2 Ways to Safely Transplant Rose Bushes of Any Age
You will occasionally want to move a rose bush from one
location to another, but fear shocking the bush too much and
having it die. However, here are two effective ways to
minimize ...
The 4 Fundamentals of Top Ice Hockey Skating
In ice hockey, skating can make or break you. Here are the
4 fundamentals to becoming a top performing ice hockey
skater, plus 4 extra techniques to push you ...
How An Executive Can Spot Creative Potential in Others
One of the most important responsibilities any executive
must handle is seeing that his company gets "the most" from
its workers. This is particularly so when it comes to
creativeness- the production of the ideas ...
What Really Is The IQ Score, Anyhow?
Do you know what the IQ score is? No, no, no. I don't mean
if you know about it; everyone knows about the ...
Why Grass Seed Mixtures Are The Way to Go
The gardener without years of experience will do well to
consider planting a mixture of grasses rather than a solid
turf of a single species. If he knows exactly what he is
doing, ...
The Secret to New Ideas
People often want change merely for the sake of change,
whether they are changes for the better or not. The human
animal is easily bored. Furthermore, change is necessary for
those in business, as it is ...
|
|
| |
|
