Play is the natural way we learn

December 4, 2022

Play is the natural way we learn. Through play, we develop our imagination, physical skills and social skills, whilst also learning how to regulate our emotions. It’s also a time when children naturally explore boundaries and limits as they learn about their world and how things work.

Principle 1 - Play is a biological drive

Play is a biological drive.

Play is a basic need.

Play is influenced by the environment, the child’s culture, and his or her personality.

The more time you spend with your child playing and encouraging him to play on his own, the stronger this instinct will become in him over time and he will be able to develop a healthy balance between work and play as an adult.

Play is a basic need, like eating and drinking. A child who does not get enough play will suffer from physical and emotional problems. The same thing happens to adults who do not have enough time for play.

Principle 2 - Play is essential and powerful in its own right

Play is essential for children's well-being

Play is powerful in its own right

and is also a precursor to many other skills. Play helps children develop imagination and creativity; improves their ability to solve problems, communicate and work together with others; builds self-confidence and independence; prepares them for success in school; and provides opportunities for positive experiences with peers, parents and caregivers.

Principle 3 - The ‘serious business of playing’ cannot be rushed, it evolves with the child as they mature emotionally and physically

Play may be a serious business, but it's not to be rushed. It evolves with the child as they mature emotionally and physically. They start off exploring their environment by taking risks and making discoveries in order to feel safe, before moving on to connecting with others. This principle is about being in the moment; it's not just about fun and games!

As a parent, it's your job to help your child learn how to have fun without compromising their safety. You can do this by teaching them about the risks involved in certain activities and letting them know what precautions you take when engaging in those activities. For example, if you go skiing with your child for the first time, show them how to put on their gear correctly so they don't get hurt.

Principle 4 - Playing builds children's self-esteem. Confident children are happy children. Happy children are more likely to be focused and eager to learn.

Children who feel good about themselves are more likely to be confident and enthusiastic. They won't be afraid of challenges, and they'll inspire others with their positive attitude. When children play well together, they have the opportunity to build a sense of community that can last a lifetime.

When you encourage your child's playfulness, you will help him develop self-esteem in a number of ways:

By giving him opportunities to practice taking turns and sharing; he'll learn how his own needs are balanced by those of others.
By encouraging him to try new things instead of just doing what he knows how to do; this builds confidence because he's learning something new (and being praised for it!) without feeling like he needs approval from parents or teachers first!

By giving him the space to invent games and activities on his own; this gives him a chance to discover new things he's good at doing, which helps build self-esteem. By teaching him how to handle conflict in a healthy way; this builds his confidence so that he knows how to get along with people of all ages.

Principle 5 - Play is about being in the moment and connecting with others

The principle of play is that it is about being in the moment and connecting with others. Play allows us to stay connected with ourselves, our feelings, and the world around us. It keeps us engaged in what we are doing right now instead of worrying about tomorrow or yesterday.

When you are playing a sport or game, you find yourself totally present in that moment because your mind is focused on what you’re doing at that time. Playing also gives players an opportunity to connect with each other – sports teams often bond over shared experiences during practice or games. Play helps develop creativity as well as making discoveries that can lead to new ideas and inventions. Finally, play teaches kids how they can make their own decisions based on risk assessment (what might happen) vs worry (what should happen).

With all these benefits associated with playtime activities for children and adults alike there’s no reason not start having fun today!

Play is one of the most important things in life. It is a form of self-expression and it allows children to develop skills they will use later on in life. When people hear “play” they often think about having fun, but play actually has many more benefits than just making someone happy. Some other benefits of playing include:

Principle 6 - Children have an innate desire to explore and make discoveries for themselves through play. This creates a desire to learn from living things around them, including their parents, siblings and other trusted adults, family friends and teachers.

A child’s desire to explore and make discoveries for themselves through play is a natural instinct. They learn from their environment, including their parents, siblings and other trusted adults. Children are naturally curious about the world around them and will seek out new experiences in order to understand more about it.

A child's natural curiosity helps them build on what they know through exploration of their environment. As they grow older, they continue this process by experimenting with new ideas and concepts while playing games or solving puzzles (such as picture puzzles or jigsaw puzzles). By doing so, children develop problem-solving skills which can be applied later in life when dealing with real-life situations such as fixing something that might break or solving problems at work.

Children’s natural curiosity can be a double-edged sword, though. They want to know everything and are naturally driven to seek out answers—even when they shouldn’t. This is why it’s important for parents to teach their children how and when it’s appropriate to ask questions about certain topics. It’s also important for parents to help their kids understand that some information is best left alone because it could hurt someone else or cause problems later on down the road.

Principle 7 - Children need to explore boundaries through play; this enables them to develop vital life skills such as risk assessment, conflict resolution and empathy

Children need to explore boundaries through play; this enables them to develop vital life skills such as risk assessment, conflict resolution and empathy.

This is why it is so important for adults to create a safe space for children where they can explore their own boundaries and those of others. This will help them learn how to negotiate with others, resolve conflict and develop empathy.

However, there are some things we cannot allow our children to do in order for them to learn these vital skills. For example, if you have a child who climbs up on the kitchen counter when your back is turned then this may not be allowed because there are dangers associated with it such as falling off or knocking something over on yourself (or someone else). The same goes for climbing fences or trees too high off the ground – these activities could result in injury which would not only cause pain but also put both your child’s health at risk.

There are many different types of boundaries that we can set for our children. For example, there are physical boundaries such as what they can and cannot do in certain places or how high up on a tree they can go. There are also emotional boundaries where you let them know what emotions are acceptable to express (for example sadness) and which ones aren’t (such as anger).

Principle 8 - Children are instinctively creative and naturally imaginative. They have an unfiltered, unbiased imagination that we can all learn from!

We all know that children are creative, but the question is: how do you tap into this creativity?

The answer is simple—we don’t need to teach them how to be creative, it’s already inside of them! We just need to encourage these natural tendencies in order for them to come out. And guess what? The best way to do this is through playtime!

Children are naturally creative, but they need to be given the space to explore this creativity. This is where playtime comes in—it gives them a chance to be free and use their imagination. When we encourage our children to play and use their imaginations, we give them the opportunity to explore who they truly are.

Principle 9 - Play restores our energy levels and helps us continue to develop new skills when we feel like we are running out of steam

Play is a biological drive and essential to development, but it has its own power and may be even more important than food or drink. Play creates fun and laughter, which increases our energy levels while enabling us to continue learning. It also builds children's self-esteem as they take risks, solve problems, and explore boundaries.

Play is essential to children's healthy development and growth, but it's also important for adults. In fact, much of the play we engage in as adults is probably driven by our inner child. We're all familiar with the idea of "toddlers" or "adults" who need to be let loose and have some time to play.

Principle 10 - There are different types of play (free-flow, loose part play etc.) which all contribute in different ways to a child's well-being.

There are different types of play (free-flow, loose part play etc.) which all contribute in different ways to a child's well-being. It is not necessary to choose one type and ignore the rest; they can be used together in combination.

Just as not everyone needs the same amount of sleep, so too we don't all need the same amount or type of play. Your child will know what he/she needs and when he/she needs it.

It is important to remember that play is not just for children. Adults need to play too, and if we don't it can lead to burnout, depression and mental illness. So if you are an adult who has forgotten how to play then please take some time out from everything else in your life and find a way of playing!

Conclusion

Play is an essential part of growing up. It allows children to develop important skills and explore their world in a safe way, without the pressure or judgement of adults. Play also increases self-esteem as well as providing opportunities for social interaction. It’s important that we allow our children enough time to play freely so they can learn through doing - which is often more effective than being told what to do!