Benefits of Play on Development

There are plenty of reasons why we encourage & include play activities throughout our daily preschool & pre-k curriculum, and it goes much deeper than just entertaining the students. Play is actually a wonderful way for children to learn and make sense of the world around them. While practice and repeating new skills that have been taught to them helps with muscle memory, play allows children to develop social & cognitive skills, grow emotional awareness, and gain self-confidence that is required when engaging in new environments or experiences.

Many studies have been done on the topic and research has shown that play offers a number of benefits for children, including improved health & quality of life. But when it comes to education and development, play is a wonderful tool to:

• Increase self-awareness, self-esteem, and self-respect
• Interact with other children & develop social skills
• Develop new skills & practice skills they have recently learned
• Promote imagination, independence, and creativity
• Build resilience through risk taking, challenges, and problem solving
• Reduce anxiety during tough school schedules

Our incredible teachers & educators understand that play unlocks a child’s creativity & imagination, develops reading and problem solving skills and develops motor skills in a way that is entertaining to young students. In essence, it provides the base foundation for learning throughout the day.

Here at Kids ‘R’ Kids, we incorporate unstructured free play & structured play time to help our students develop important skills that will be needed throughout their educational experience and the rest of their lives. Unstructured play is not planned or guided. It is when a child is able to focus on something that interests them and allows the child to use their imagination and move at their own pace. Structured play is more organized and is guided by our amazing, qualified teachers. Whether it’s storytelling, dance, card games, or something else, we help children extend what they have learned into play so they can practice new skills with confidence.

Children need the freedom to play, in school and at home. Play contributes to brain development and there has been plenty of evidence from neuroscience that shows the early years of a child’s development (0-6 years) set the basis for learning, behavior and health throughout life. A young student’s neural pathways are actually influenced in their development through play that includes exploration, thinking, problem-solving and social connections.

If you would like to learn more about how we utilize play alongside of our award-winning curriculum, call or visit our Avalon Park center.