And in a flash, they are here! The term 1 school holidays are right around the corner. But are our kids ready for the break?
Let’s ask ourselves one question here before we proceed further. What is the usual holiday routine that our kids follow these days? Is there even a holiday routine?
Trouble keeping kids engaged?
Having kids at home during the holidays can put one’s parenting skills to the test. It really is a challenging task to keep kids engaged during these periods. What do we end up doing then? Often we end up resorting to the use of gadgets to keep our kids engaged.
Well, that’s obviously the easy way out. But is that really the best way? No! It most certainly is not. But, what then is the best thing to do?
Missing the relevance of free play
Ever come across the phrase ‘free play’? Well, this is something that kids these days tend to be missing out on. Go back to the previous generations and we find that free play was a basic aspect of childhoods, an unavoidable and enjoyable activity that not only keep children engaged but also instilled in them vital skills that end up helping them throughout their lives.
What is free play? It means letting your child engage in play with the freedom to choose what to do, often involving other children as well. Free play lets kids use their imagination and put it into action without the directions or control of adults. Playing with their toys, building a sandcastle, hide-and-seek with friends, dressing up as their favourite fictional characters for a role-play – all come under the ambit of free play.
What does free play do?
Experts are repeatedly stressing about the need to get children engaged in free play, especially given the change in lifestyle associated with the current age due to the boom in technology. What are the benefits?
By inducing kids to use their imagination and freedom, free play helps develop the cognitive abilities of children. Kids will be able to become sharper, more observant, and innovative once they engage in this activity which induces them to think for themselves and play using the available setup.
Such activities can help bring out the talents that a child possesses. It can also help a child in understanding and exploring more about himself, serving as a vital tool towards personal awareness and development.
Social and emotional skills are also nurtured effectively with the help of free play. Giving kids the opportunity to play freely in groups helps them understand teamwork. They will be put in scenarios where they can learn the basics of being aware of the feelings or emotions of others and responding in the appropriate manner. Values such as sharing and cooperation can be learned in the most efficient manner on these playgrounds.
Added to this is the fact that free play tends to increase the amount of physical activity among kids. This helps in preventing issues such as childhood obesity and similar ailments.
In short, free play keeps your child in good physical, mental, emotional, and social health. It initiates kids in the skills that would be essential in the course of their lives in personal relationships, workplace performance, and so on.
Getting kids to play
But, what if kids these days aren’t particularly interested in this sort of play? Well, that is a common concern because of the deep impact of the internet and high-end 21st-century gadgets. We might need to nudge our kids initially, but once they get accustomed to indulging in free play, it’ll turn into a fun activity that they will start looking forward to.
But how do you nudge them?
Gadget-free hours and the right tools
For the coming holidays, parents can try putting in place daily gadget-free hours for kids. Make sure that the hours that you pick are the ones where your kids are at their most vibrant or active during the day. Left without their gadgets, kids will be induced to find ways to keep themselves occupied. Parents can help here by placing the right tools at their disposal. A pack of sketch pens, some colour paper, costumes, toys, etc can nudge kids towards getting into free play to pass their gadget-free hours.
Get the kids together
Parents, you guys can take the initiative here. Try to speak with other parents in the neighbourhood or those within your circle of family or friends. Give more opportunities for your kids to spend time with other kids of similar age. The company can help them to engage and explore more possibilities of free play.
P.S. remember to keep parental involvement to the minimum. You can definitely take part in your child’s playtime, but always let your kids take the lead.
This list would surely provide some ideas for the coming holidays. Make the most of them and let your kids dive into the exciting realm of free play!
Importance of play
Exam Smart Tips
Exam Smart Tip #1 – How to Encourage Our Kids to Speak Better?
Exam Smart Tip #2 – How to avoid carelessness?
Exam Smart Tip #3 – Establishing Routines!
Exam Smart Tip #4 – Let’s Read Carefully!
Exam Smart Tip #5 – Beating the Exam Fever!
Exam Smart Tip #6 – How to Eat Right for the Exams?
Exam Smart Tip #7 – How to Avoid a Meltdown?
Exam Smart Tip #8 – Taking Stress out of Tests
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