Are you tired of entertaining your kids all day long?
Well, this needs to stop now.
I used to be one to subscribe to that school of thought where parents are supposed to fill in every waking hour of their child’s day with stimulating activity and make things fun for them.
But then if we don’t schedule beforehand, we’d feel guilty that something is wrong. It had to stop as we also have many tasks to be done.
WHY YOUR KIDS SHOULD ENGAGE IN FREE PLAY?
Unstructured play, sometimes called a free play, has no set goals and unlimited possibilities.
It lets kids enjoy the sense of freedom, feel the power of control, and allow them to learn from their own mistakes in a pressure-free environment. It follows the ‘problem solving’ approach from ‘out of the box’ perspective.
WHEN IS THE APPROPRIATE AGE & DEVELOPMENT STAGE TO INTRODUCE?
Frequently entertained infants have trouble playing independently while some children are more content playing solo.
It’s important to consider the child’s temperament and the right age and stage to move him towards independence.
The older the child gets, he’s more inclined towards independent play.
When the kids are not ready and we insist them to be independent, it can be counterproductive and make them depend on you further.
HOW TO START TEACHING KIDS PLAY ON THEIR OWN?![]()
Here are a few suggestions and not blueprints for fostering healthy independence for kids (indirectly parents too).
Select a Kids’ Safe Zone in a room
Childproof the room. Make sure there are no choking hazards, electrical cords, dresser hard edges, sharp objects, open windows, medications, etc.
Provide Open-ended Toys
Try to replace battery operated and single function toys with open-ended toys. Items such as legos, puzzles, plain wood blocks, bowls, cups, cardboard boxes, trucks, and train sets for toddlers are so multidimensional that they leave a child’s imagination free to create and explore.
Kick Start an Activity
Many kids will need you to encourage them to start an activity or to be told that it is a minor issue that they can handle on their own and when it’s okay to get help. Try to give them the confidence to solve problems on their own first.
Follow the Lead (Child)
Once initiated the activity yourself, allow the child to direct it now. Here you can take a close look at his interests, intelligence, their ideas and thoughts.
Don’t Interrupt
Once you see the kids are busy and content playing on their own, don’t trivialize it, or treat it as insignificant. Remember the child’s play is their work, give them their time and space, and treat it with due respect.
Avoid unnecessary interruptions to their play unless you feel it is important to intervene now if something unexpected takes place.
Supervision is Key
Never leave them alone. Give them your undivided attention. Have plenty of toys available and observe how your kid responds. If they get bored easily, try removing the old one and replacing it with new ones. This helps them to stay focused.
Encourage & Appreciate
If the kid asks for some words of encouragement, praise his successes, and thank him/her for providing you some ‘me’ time. Then go back to your work. If he/she keeps asking for it, let him/her know you are unavailable but will come back later.
Practice the Routine
If your kid was never a solo player, resistance will be there in the early days but we need to show perseverance and make a routine and wait for the desirable results.
WHAT PARENTS NEED TO KNOW WHY SHOULD THEY TEACH KIDS PLAY BY THEMSELVES?
In the past, the play was child-initiated full of open-ended activities but nowadays play has become more adult-directed than self-directed.
We definitely don’t want our kids to fall behind in this highly competitive era but at the same time, free play is crucial for understanding their preferences and interests and explore the world.
In fact, Children should experience twice as much self-directed play than adult-directed according to recent research.
It’s not just parents who need time for themselves by teaching their kids to play by themselves but also the kids that need time to themselves from being overly scheduled.
TAKEAWAY
There are several benefits of play over entertainment. Play is active, non-addictive, fun, builds skills, and above all helps kids think for themselves. Encourage your kids to play free every time when they are bored.
Unstructured play helps them in creativity and imagination, problem-solving abilities, and decision making.
Start teaching your kids to play by themselves early but slowly. Treat them as individuals. Turn them into successful adults who will grow up to fight the world and make better decisions on their own when the parents will not be around to look up to.
Check out more articles on ChildrenPositive.
Source of some images: Google.
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