CreativePlay Plus: Ideas in Play and Child Development

There has been a lot of buzz following this year’s 92^nd Street Y Wonderplay Early Childhood Conference which focused on “The Importance of Play, Imagination and Creative Thinking.” Recess was the hot topic discussed at the conference and how this crucial part of the school day has been greatly reduced and sometimes eliminated all together in exchange for more instructional time in the classroom. Research so far has found associations between the amount of time spent in an unstructured free play environment and learning abilities as well as social, emotional, and physical development. More research is needed to better understand the amount of time children have for recess and the impact this time has on their development.

Following the conference, Education Week and the Washington Post published articles regarding the concern that children are not having enough time to play during the school day.

• For more information on the topic of recess and child development, check out Recess in Elementary
  School: What Does the Research Say? by Olga Jarrett, one of the child development experts at the conference.
• If you’re interested in learning more about the importance of children’s play check out the clinical
  report issued in 2007 by the American Academy of Pediatrics. This report has a lot of great information supporting the need for more research to better understand the benefits of playtime and advocating for a child’s right to play.

How much time does your children have for recess during and after the school day?

While working with families to help them improve their play skills, I’ve come across many parents who want to know what toys they ought to have available at home for their children. The easy answer is anything you would want to play with and think was fun. But there are some things to consider to help get the most out of a toy and playtime at home. Here are some ideas to have in mind while debating your holiday purchases this year:

• Is the toy age appropriate and will the toy be appealing to your child for many years or will they soon grow out of it? For example, toys like blocks, dolls, and cars are toys children continue to enjoy as they get older. It’s a great investment to find toys that will not lose their allure too quickly!
• Consider what your child already has. Do they have a lot of cars, dolls, or action figures, but do not have blocks to build with, puzzles to solve, or arts and craft materials to be creative?
• Is this a toy your child is meant to passively play with? For instance, does your child have to use their imagination to make sounds for a toy car or are they suppose to push buttons to hear the sound?
• Is this a toy the whole family can play with together?
• Is it a toy that will promote your child’s imagination and problem solving skills?

Lastly, consider if it’s a toy that can be used in many ways and assess the quality of the toy. Is its appeal mainly that it’s covered in your child’s beloved tv character or that it’s actually a fun and interesting toy?

Some great creative play/child development links from a quick trip around the baby blogosphere:

• A detailed list of Natural Childbirth options from Lin at TellinItLikeItIs.net
• A discussion on Families.com about Kids and Movies: How Young is Too Young?
• A great post at EcoChildsPlay.com on the lessons of playing in the sand.
• How to make a Holiday Gratitude Can from BlissfullyDomestic.com
• On Suite101.com, How to reduce the risk of SIDS by dressing baby properly.
• Step2’s Thinkativity toys get rave reviews from CosmoTot.
• Here’s an easy-peasy playdough recipe from the Crunchy Domestic Goddess.