PLAYING WITH YOUR CHILD WHAT IS PLAY An activity that brings amusement or enjoyment especially the spontaneous activity of young people.

Is it Really Important to Play With Your Child? Helps build a warm relationship and strong attachments Through play you can help your child develop some basic skills, test out Ideas and explore their imaginations Helps children learn to communicate their thoughts, feelings and needs. Helps them interact socially e.g take turns, share and be sensitive to the feelings of others.

What Kinds of Games Can You Play With Your Child Play outdoors. Play games Get involved in a craft project together. Build a jigsaw puzzle as a family. Bake Listen to music together. Sing along. Play rhythm instruments along with music. Get out the guitar or keyboard and make music. Read a book together. Watch a movie together. Find out what they liked – how they felt. Discover the child’s interests. Play kid games like: Guess What I Am? – Hide and Seek

HOW TO PLAY WITH YOUR CHILD Follow Your Child’s Lead Pace the Play to Suit Your Child Be Sensitive to Your Child’s Clues Don’t Compete With Your Child Praise and Encourage Your Child’s Ideas and Creativity Encourage Emotional Understanding Through Fantasy or Pretend Play Be an Appreciative Audience Use descriptive Commenting Use Academic Coaching to Promote Readiness Skills Use Emotional Coaching to Promote Emotional Literacy Coaching Positive Peer play Encourage Your Child’s Independent Problem Solving Give Attention to Play

A Word of Caution Be Sensitive When Your Child plays Inappropriately or Misbehaves Define a Play Time and Stop When the Time is up Prepare a Child for the end of the Play session Ensure that there is a Regular Play Period Everyday.

Conclusion Value Play and Set Aside Playtime with Your Children Learn to Play in ways that Foster Self Esteem as Well as Social, Emotional and Cognitive Development.