Constructive Play Today

Early childhood play today has changed in scope and scale, involving more advanced toys and games, but also edging out group playing and personal interaction. Learning games for children have been replaced by gaming and television that allow them to keep busy on their own, thereby reducing the development of social skills. Violence in early childhood play is a huge concern for parents today, as well as the growing popularity of sedentary games that has led to obesity in children.

Constructive play has taken a back seat with technology and electronics growing more popular now. With double-income families, parents and caregivers have less time to spend with their children and are likely to leave them watching the television. However, early childhood play allows a chance to introduce children to learning games and constructive play that help in the long run.

Learning Games for Children

Constructive play is different from the everyday play that children indulge in because it has a goal of teaching the child a new skill or concept, or of honing abilities. Abilities such as spatial skills, and concepts of size, weight, height, distance are made easier to comprehend when learned through play. Constructive play gives children a chance to improve their problem-solving skills, sharing skills, their motor skills and to learn more about themselves and the world around them. Some of the most effective learning games for children are inexpensive and use items found around the house. Important points for parents or caregivers to remember are:

• Play should be safe and non-violent
• Learning games for children should encourage participation, not elimination
• Children should be asked to use their imaginations and creativity in constructive play

Early Childhood Games

Some suggestions for constructive play or learning games for children:

1. Build cubby holes or secret homes by draping tables with blankets or sheets. Children could decorate them as a haunted house, a school, a hospital for their stuffed toys, or a wigwam

2. Painting and coloring of household waste like cardboard cartons, egg trays, tubes, plastic tubs, etc.

3. Outdoor activities like helping with gardening, building rock gardens, bird trays

4. Cutting and pasting colored paper and foil or fabric to make collages

5. Playing with animals, going for walks on beaches or in parks

Role of Adults in Early Childhood Play

During early childhood play, apart from ensuring that children are safe, adults have a significant role to play. Parents and caregivers can provide a variety of toys and instruments for learning games for children. A suggestion or a question from parents or caregivers can lead the child to question his/her own understanding and come up with imaginative solutions also. Dealing with disputes and encouraging participation are areas in which adults can help simple early childhood play turn into constructive play.

References :

1. Constructive Play. Govt of Western Australia
2. Constructive Play. Ministry of Education, NZ
3. Role of Play in Children’s Learning. Open Learn.

Early Child Development and Cognitive Stimulation

During infancy and up to three years of age, children’s brain cells are quick to form connections and link to other cells, which help cognitive development in children. At this age, a single brain cell is able to connect to almost 14,000 other cells to form patterns of behavior. Weak stimulation leads to inadequate formation of connections and poor development of the child’s brain, which hampers the child’s cognitive development. Different types of stimulus give impressions of facial expressions, body language and emotional reactions and children learn to imitate them at the right time.

Cognitive development in children at this age forms patterns that will last well into the future. With insufficient stimulus, the cognitive development in children is stunted, which makes them unable to express themselves appropriately or to recognize expressions on others.

Early Cognitive Development in Children

Stimulation of children in early development stages forms their character for the future. With weak mental stimulation, there is poor mental development in children, resulting in problems like poor school learning, lower intellectual ability, unstable emotional reactions and many more. Additionally, intellectual development is affected by the traits exhibited by the parents.

For example, a depressed mother offers negative stimulus to the child, causing the child to display negative patterns in later life when upset. Many parents may not realize the role and impact of outside stimulus on the social or emotional development of their children.

Stages of Development in Children

Children begin to develop their cognitive and intellectual capabilities from birth. The growth path that each follows is unique, but there are some stages common to all. As children begin to grow, they learn to walk, to interact through conversation, to express themselves in words, and to assign values and identities to objects and people.

At this point in the mental and emotional development of children, their personalities begin to show, whether quiet, shy, aggressive, or active. This is a good time to mould a child’s social and emotional development patterns, with positive reinforcement of good traits, and to curb bad behavior.

Stimulating Healthy Cognitive, Social & Emotional Development in Children

Stimulus for child mental development should be regular and versatile. While it is important to acknowledge negative emotions in a child, the parents should take care not to display them in front of children. Even subtle negative behavior can be picked up, and will form part of the behavior patterns in children.

Talking to children provides one of the most effective forms of stimulus for child mental development. Research has shown when parents interact with the child a great deal; there is better cognitive, social and emotional development in children, leading to better skills at mathematics, enhanced reasoning and self-expression. Even before infants can talk, child cognitive development is taking place, and they are receptive to the stimulation provided by conversation.

Related Articles :

• In-Home Child Care Guide
• Child Care for Young Children & Babies