Play

Play is one of the best teachers for children as they learn so many different concepts and skills through play. Regardless of whether a child has special needs or not the benefits of play include learning how to interact with others, how to understand and express their emotions, how to self-regulate, how to be patient, and how to show empathy.
 
Here are some simple ways to encourage play with your child:

• Encourage your child to play with different play items:

To encourage our child to develop problem-solving skills and flexibility we want to encourage them to play with many different items - think blocks, puzzles, Legos, stuffed toys, arts and craft supplies, and outside toys.

• Encourage imaginary play:

Encourage your child to use their imagination while playing.  Exploring and imagination helps with their brain development, sense of self, and stimulates their creativity. Take regular items you may play with (blocks, stuffed animals, puzzles, arts and craft materials) and encourage your children to turn them into something else. Don’t have a lot of items to play with? No worries! simple things like a couple of blocks can easily be turned into pretend cars, pretend people, or a pretend castle. When children use their imagination, the possibilities are endless.

• Encourage your child to play in different settings:

Playing inside, outside, at a park, or at a friend’s house gives our children opportunities to encourage brain growth and flexibility.

• Make play a priority:

Make sure to set aside time for play, between school/daycare, doctor’s appointments, and therapy appointments, we want to make sure we give children ample time to engage in free play to further stimulate their growth and development.
 
How do you encourage free play with your children? Let us know in the comments below.
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See you soon!
Michael Jankowski, MS, OTR/L