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Sandra Willis, Ph.D. Parenting Expert to Fun City

& Owner of Inspire Children’s Nursery

“Play is the highest expression of human development in

childhood for it alone is the free expression of what is in a

child‟s soul”. Friedrich Froebel

„Knowledge is more important than the knowledge.

Knowledge is limited. imagination encircles the world.‟ Albert Einstein

„Play is the chief vehicle for development of imagination

and intelligence, language, social skills, and perceptual

motor abilities in infants and children.‟ J.L. Frost

Workshop Outline

• Introductions

• Title & Objective of the workshop

• & Scenarios

• Question #1 & Rating #1

• Play: The Basics – Types of play

– Research findings

– Benefits of play

• Ice Breaker: play & Rating #2

• Question # 2

• Role Play

• Recommendations / Tips

• Questions & Closing

Scenarios

• Six-month old William laughs as his mom plays a

game of peek-a-boo with him.

• Three-year-old Maryam thinks it funny when her

father puts on a silly hat.

• Six-year-old Rayan throws a cape around his

shoulders, runs across the room and pretends to be a

Superhero.

Play is essentially important in the life of a child.

Play has been defined as “voluntary activity

pursued without ulterior purpose and, on the whole,

with enjoyment or expectation of enjoyment”

(English & English, 1958).

• Play is essential to the social, emotional, cognitive and physical well-being of all children.

• It is a natural tool for children to develop resiliency as they learn to cooperate, overcome challenges, and negotiate with others.

• Play also allows children to be creative.

• It provides time for parents to be fully engaged with their children, to bond with their children, and to see the world from the perspective of their child.

Unfortunately the time for free play has been markedly reduced for many children. School has become more focused on academic and afterschool many children are raised in a family‟s hurried lifestyle.

Different levels of PLAY in child development:

Solitary Play Play without regard to

the involvement of other children.

Character Play Child observes other children in the same area while playing.

Parallel Play Several children may play with the same materials, but each playing separately.

Associative Play Loosely organized

play that is decided upon with no rules or

roles.

Cooperative Play Children assume

assigned roles and depend on each other

for achieving the goals of play

Parten (1932)

In Groups, please discuss

• How old is your child?

• What types of play does your child engage

in?

• How often does your child play?

• Who does your child play with?

• Does your child have a favourite play

activity?

Fun City’s Children’s Play Index

is 32 in UAE

What is the Children’s Play Index?

The Index sheds light on the amount of time that UAE children between the ages of 2-12 years spend on

play as well as their playing patterns.

How was it computed?

Fun City Children‟s Play Index is based on a survey conducted between July-Sep 2012 among 400 family

respondents from different nationalities with children in the age group of 2-12years residing in the

different emirates of the UAE.

The Index assesses fundamental play activities during a child‟s regular day such as the total amount of

their days’ time spent playing, the split of indoor vs. outdoor play, active vs. passive play, popular

playing activities, and exposure to technology.

Some of the key research findings are:

• One in five (20%) children spends more than 4 hours on average watching TV each day.

• Along with the conventional toys every child has at least one Xbox / PS3/ or hand held video

game in their toy box, thus increasing the need to spend more time indoors.

• Play affects all aspects of the child‟s development; how they develop physically, emotionally, socially

and psychologically. (10% are engaged with such toys on a daily basis)

• On an average week day, children in the UAE spend less than an hour engaging in outdoor

activity. This time increases to 1.5 hours during the weekend.

Have you ever asked yourself…

“How do I play with my child?”

“Which toys should I introduce to my baby?”

“How can I help my child‟s language development, motor skills and social development?”

Learn how to:

• Design a safe, inviting place for your child to play

• Choose developmentally appropriate toys

• Use toys to teach cause-and-effect

• Promote eye coordination, muscle tone and strength

• Encourage spontaneity and self-expression

We can support children’s play by

1. seeking opportunities and encouraging children to explore their world, both their natural and social/cultural world,

2. providing the children adequate space, time, freedom, and opportunity to focus on the play activity and remain in ‘the flow’ of their play,

3. exploring different role-modelling to encourage and extend ideas, but not constrain their creativity,

4. expanding and challenging their skills though active play rather than competitiveness,

5. praising and reinforcing them constantly to enhance their self-confidence, and

6. encouraging creative thinking and self expression to promote the development of their overall sense of self and identity.

Be

Enthusiastic!

Reflect Imitate

Describe

Praise

Avoid commands

& many questions

We can support children’s play by

1. seeking opportunities and encouraging children to explore their world, both their natural and social/cultural world,

2. providing the children adequate space, time, freedom, and opportunity to focus on the play activity and remain in „the flow‟ of their play,

3. exploring different role-modelling to encourage and extend ideas, but not constrain their creativity,

4. expanding and challenging their skills though active play rather than competitiveness,

5. praising and reinforcing them constantly to enhance their self-confidence, and

6. encouraging creative thinking and self expression to promote the development of their overall sense of self and identity.

If your child is a baby:

• When taking your baby to public places, he comes in contact with new faces and voices. Stay close to your baby so he develops a sense of security. This gives him confidence to meet unfamiliar people and surroundings.

• Babies enjoy making eye contact with other babies. Allow her time to interact and play as they communicate through sounds or gestures.

• Upon leaving your home, remember to say “good-bye” and “hello” to family members. Soon your baby will learn that you always return and you will help him develop a sense of trust.

If your child is a toddler: • Find opportunities to praise your

toddler for good behavior. For

example, when you must wait in line,

praise the child for being patient. Say

things like “I‟m proud of you for being

patient when we must wait in line.”

• Schedule time for “play” as you plan

your day. For example, if running

errands, stop by the park for a few

minutes. Play allows your child to

interact with peers and you both have

more fun.

• As you help your toddler develop

social skills, use positive statements

when speaking. For example, say

things like “Please help me pick up

your toys,” instead of “Don‟t leave

your toys on the floor.”

If your child is a preschooler:

• Allow your child to make choices when possible. For example, allow her to choose to

wear either the red shirt or the blue shirt. Confidence and a strong sense of self are

vital to developing social skills.

• Play pretend games with your preschooler. If you‟re been to the grocery store,

pretend to be the cashier or the produce person. Help your child decide what they

would say in these situations as they practice difference types of social skills.

• Teach pro-social skills and responsibilities by encouraging your child to perform

simple chores, such as helping to put groceries away after shopping. Show him how

to separate recycled items for collection.

Stimulating Play

Items

Most homes and child care centers contain stimulating playthings. These items help the child develop creative and imaginative play, whether playing alone or in small groups. Unlike expensive packaged educational toys that may have only one use, these basic items provide hours of fun. The following toys grow with your child and provide a longer learning time:

• Blocks (variety of sizes)

• Boxes (several shapes)

• Large beads and string

• Puzzles (wooden or board)

• Sand, sifters, cups and spoons

• Water and small cups

• Play dough

• Dress up clothes and costumes

Questionnaire for Parents and Teachers

Adults can be special partners as they help children

develop social skills. How would you answer the following

questions?

• Do I plan time for children to play alone?

• Do I encourage children to invite friends over to play?

• Do I have a safe home where children may play?

• Do I provide a choice of items for play when my child‟s friends come to play?

• Are the play items appropriate for each age of development?

• Do I allow children to make choices for playthings?

• Do I allow children to be leaders in their play?

• Do I limit the selection a child has at one time?

• Do I realize that too many things can be overwhelming and make learning difficult?

• How can parents and teachers make sure children have adequate materials and play time?

Brewer (2001) suggests that caregivers keep a daily journal for a few days, recording the time their children spend in active play and the materials used in that play. Teachers may arrange for a speaker to talk with parents about the need for active play in a child‟s life and to help them find a strategy to increase play if the child is not engaging in active play. Parents must make the distinction between active play and a passive activity, such as watching TV.

Despite the power of play, somewhere between childhood and adulthood, many of us stop playing. We exchange play for work and responsibilities. When we do have some leisure time, we're more likely to zone out in front of the TV or computer than to engage in creative, brain-stimulating play. By giving ourselves permission to play with the joyful abandon of childhood, we can continue to reap its benefits throughout life.

Some of the reasons we play:

• to learn

• to create

• to feel challenged

• to pass time

• to calm and focus ourselves

• as spectators watching others

• competitively to win

• cooperatively

• for the fun of it

• for the joy of it

The lifelong benefits of play:

connects us to others & improves social skills

fosters creativity, flexibility, and learning

antidote to loneliness, isolation, anxiety & depression

teaches us cooperation & perseverance

makes us happy & helps us heal emotional wounds

Playing at work: The key to productivity and innovation

References:

• UNICEF's Communicating with Children – Principles and Practices to Nurture, Inspire, Educate and Heal - http://www.unicef.org/cwc/index.html

• National Literacy Trust's Words for Life - http://www.wordsforlife.org.uk