Kids are entitled to play, to rest, to have fun and to participate in the activities they like doing. That’s how the educator Fransesco Tonucci interprets article 31 of the list of children’s rights approved by the United Nations, which gives us an idea of just how important playtime is.
Specialists advocate the positive value of play and even its health benefits. One indication of our kids’ fortitude is the strong interest they have in playing with their toys, in inviting parents to join them in their activities and the seemingly boundless energy they put into their games. Have you noticed that when kids don’t show any interest in their toys, it seems that something is going wrong?
Play is also an excellent way for kids to get physical exercise during the childhood stages of physical development, a time when they are learning to control their movements and acquire coordination skills. The best kind of physical exercise is clearly that which is the most fun for the child.
Play also positively attributes to social development, giving kids the opportunity to interact with others in an enjoyable atmosphere. It also fosters an appreciation of team work and even a healthy competitive spirit. One could say that kids games help mould us into adults.
Play also helps build kids’ ability to use their imagination. Kids begin to develop their creative intelligence by imagining new worlds, trying to solve puzzles, playing different roles and even forming strategies when playing ball games.
Play is an activity with benefits that go much farther than we think. It’s not just a meaningless way to spend free time –it shapes future adults, and it doesn’t stop there, because nobody ever really outgrows the desire to play.