Play is an important part in the nurturing of kids. It helps all round development in kids. Even if families are different the parenting values they believe in are more or less the same. Most of us want to bring up responsible kids. We were brought up to be responsible, and we want successive generations to be responsible. In a society, people have to be cohesive for a forward movement collectively.
As family sizes shrink and family types morph, we are marching towards a society where digital devices are replacing many of the functions which involved family members. In earlier times, babies were always in the care of a family member be it a close relative or a far one. Nowadays with rapidly changing families and mores, babies could be looked after within nuclear families, in day care systems, in single parent plus grand parent homes and even single grand-parent homes. Kids did not grow up playing video games and bonding with friends over virtual pet games. They played on porches, in kitchens, back yards, quiet streets, inside parks and even the woods. But play they did. In all kinds of weather. That taught kids and shaped their character.
Here are three important traits kids develop with play:
1. Patience
Play gets kids to be patient. They learn this while building things or playing board games or putting together something. Delayed gratification is good for kids. It teaches them to stay the course even if it takes time. Research has proved they become more successful at a later age. This trait always helps them in their relationships too.
2. Waiting for your turn
This is a super important trait in large groups. If this does not happen, groups are hard to handle. If kids learn to wait for their turn, they also learn not to try and get things out of turn. Board games are a great example of simple play which teaches kids to wait for their turn. However much they itch to roll the dice again, they know they have to wait.
3. Cooperation
What's any group be it a family, friends circle, team, colleagues without cooperation? A group which co-operates survives well and flourishes. Ants are the best examples in nature. They can carry away a bigger creature with team work. The entire process of kids gathering to play, builds cooperation. They play together, build together, dismantle together and even clear up together. When groups are cooperative, in fighting is less and things move efficiently. In fact even eating together is a good way to build cooperation!
Whatever the unit that a child grows up and participates in, these three traits will always help the child stay the course. It reduces the angst children face as they grow up, because these traits help them cope with all kinds of situations through their lives. We must never forget that it all started with play.
As family sizes shrink and family types morph, we are marching towards a society where digital devices are replacing many of the functions which involved family members. In earlier times, babies were always in the care of a family member be it a close relative or a far one. Nowadays with rapidly changing families and mores, babies could be looked after within nuclear families, in day care systems, in single parent plus grand parent homes and even single grand-parent homes. Kids did not grow up playing video games and bonding with friends over virtual pet games. They played on porches, in kitchens, back yards, quiet streets, inside parks and even the woods. But play they did. In all kinds of weather. That taught kids and shaped their character.
Here are three important traits kids develop with play:
1. Patience
Play gets kids to be patient. They learn this while building things or playing board games or putting together something. Delayed gratification is good for kids. It teaches them to stay the course even if it takes time. Research has proved they become more successful at a later age. This trait always helps them in their relationships too.
2. Waiting for your turn
This is a super important trait in large groups. If this does not happen, groups are hard to handle. If kids learn to wait for their turn, they also learn not to try and get things out of turn. Board games are a great example of simple play which teaches kids to wait for their turn. However much they itch to roll the dice again, they know they have to wait.
3. Cooperation
What's any group be it a family, friends circle, team, colleagues without cooperation? A group which co-operates survives well and flourishes. Ants are the best examples in nature. They can carry away a bigger creature with team work. The entire process of kids gathering to play, builds cooperation. They play together, build together, dismantle together and even clear up together. When groups are cooperative, in fighting is less and things move efficiently. In fact even eating together is a good way to build cooperation!
Whatever the unit that a child grows up and participates in, these three traits will always help the child stay the course. It reduces the angst children face as they grow up, because these traits help them cope with all kinds of situations through their lives. We must never forget that it all started with play.
