Learn through Play

Play is a serious business. Babies and children learn through playing, exploring the toys and activities in their environment. I use play activities throughout all of my teaching, it's a great way to develop language skills, and it is a vital contributor to a child's development

About Child Development

Physical Development:
Any play that involves active movement encourages a child's gross and fine motor skills. Holding and exploring objects develop fine motor and cognitive skills. Gross motor skills include: grasping, running, jumping, dancing, crawling, rolling, catching, carrying, pushing, pulling, kicking, etc. Fine motor skills include: pincer grip - holding an item between finger and thumb, hand and grip control, pre-writing skills, holding a pencil, completing tasks such as threading, sewing boards, pegboard and puzzles.

The physical development of a child is encouraged through engaging in play activities, such as:

1. Crawling towards a toy they want, to walking with a toy that they push or pull. Playing increases a child's mobility, muscle development and their awareness of their own physical ability.
2. Songs and games with actions also help physical skills.
3. Physical play teaches older children the social concepts and turn taking, rules and competition when taking part in games and sports.

Social, and Emotional Development:
Play gives babies and children opportunities to explore social concepts with each other, such as giving, sharing, taking and turn-taking. Language skills occur across each of these sections, and developing too, are emotions. Play helps a child express love, self-awareness, self-esteem and promotes independence. Play activities to promote emotional development are:

1. Games or activities that include sharing and giving. Try using each other's names during activities.
2. Looking at and identifying parts of their body by touch, drawing pictures or looking in the mirror.
3. Engaging in social and symbolic play - such as puppets, dolls, teddies.
4. Playing 'peek-a-boo' and 'hide and seek' help to encourage a sense of self and develop independence. These are useful to help with separation anxiety.

Cognitive Development:
Cognitive development refers to understanding and processing information. It is this intellectual ability which helps children find out how things work, which later helps develop skills in mathematics, language and communication (see (link to) Speech and Language). Play activities to help encourage cognitive skills are:

1. Imitation and copying facial expressions and movements
2. Cognitive development is encouraged through playing with age and ability appropriate activities: shape sorters, cause and effect toys, such as pop-ups, building and construction toys such as blocks, mobilo.
3. Matching and sorting items are vital in helping young children to classify by grouping.

Top of page.   Go to Homepage.

Play & Special Needs

Children seem to magically move from exploring one range of toys to the next, creating and developing language and physical skills. When your child doesn't automatically express these abilities, it is usually these first signs of something being different that a parent notices.

This is the case for many children that I have worked with. Parents have often noted during our early conversations, how they noticed their child doesn't really play appropriately, or take the expected interest in toys. Children diagnosed with ASD may have difficulty with this maintaining a full range of interests, and this affects their social abilities. They may:

1. Obsess about certain toys or objects.
2. Have limited language - not knowing how to relate or join in conversation.
3. Have difficulty socialising - be more interested in objects than people.
4. Fixate on details.

It is difficult not to focus on the play abilities your child has - and worry about when and how they are going to develop further play skills. Keep on playing, and try experimenting with different sensory materials to discover what your child likes. In the book 'Play and the Imagination in Children with Autism' (1999) Pamela Wolfberg writes:

'Children with Autism should be provided with the same opportunities for a variety of play activities as other children. What will be an additional need for them to enjoy their experiences and grow will be the willingness of the adults (and peers) who support them to accommodate, understand, and consistently invite them to engage in ever increasing play engagements. Early intervention can be one sure way to promote greater interest in a variety of materials, environments and individuals. It can also help avoid what is most commonly seen among children with Autism, them standing alone watching their peers, not knowing how to join in with the group. Adult intervention at an early age can begin to change this pattern, and help all children begin to understand and enjoy each other.'

Although your child may not respond directly as others attempt to play, keep trying. As your child develops social and communication skills, re-offer toys that your child previously didn't take an interest in or couldn't do. Through perseverance, practice and new challenges, play skills will develop.

Top of page.   Go to Homepage.

Activities & Games

1. Eye Contact games: Peek-a-boo, silly faces, songs, face paints.
2. Sensory Games: Playdough (in Arts & Crafts see recipe for playdough), paint, water play, smelling games, sand, sensory bag (with different textures and items inside), food tasting, cooking.
3. Cause and Effect Games: building a tower - anticipation of falling blocks when pushed, rolling cars down a ramp, pop-up or push and go toys - show your child how delighted you are with the outcome.
4. Creative / Expressive games: Pretend to be characters in the story, run from monsters, pretend emotions, dress up, arts and crafts, play sound games, laugh at suprises. Do this even if your child doesn't imitate your actions yet, they may do in the future.

There are more ideas on the way in our Kids pages, and throughout each week of Hometrain lessons, there are resources, songs and activities that help you and your child learn together.

Want to know more about Play? Send your question to info@hometrain.ie

There are a number of related books in our Book List page. If you've read any on our list or you want to add a good book, write a short review and send it to us at: info@hometrain.ie

Top of page.   Go to Homepage.