Every child has the right to rest and leisure, to engage in play and recreational activities appropriate to the age of the child and to participate freely in cultural life and the arts.
- Article 31 of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of a Child
Play is essential to a child's upbringing and healthy development which benefits their health, happiness, and well-being. It is so essential it was recognised by the United Nations recognise it as a human right.
As a parent or carer, you are your baby or child's first and most important teacher - they are constantly learning from you, as you chat, play, sing and do all your usual day-to-day things. Research shows that the simple things you do in everyday life with your child makes a real difference to how they do in school and in later life, and it doesn't matter how well you did at school or whether you're a 'stay-at-home' parent/carer or you go out to work.
There are so many benefits for both parent and child when it comes to playing together here are a few that stood out to us...
- Playing with your child builds the child's self-esteem - imagine your child knowing that the most important person in their world likes them enough to take the time to play with them, building the bond between you both
- Play helps children develop all kinds of skills - children are like sponges, they soak up everything around them. By interacting with their parents they develop their social skills and self-control
- Parent-child pretend and physical play is linked to the development of specific skills including: creativity, working memory, gross motor skills, cognitive, flexibility, regulation of emotions and leadership skills
- Play is good for parents health - when you think you're too tired to play, think again...when you engage in play with your little one the hormone oxytocin is released, otherwise known as the love hormone
- Play improves literacy
- Play encourages independence and helps the child learn about the world around them
- Play promotes physical fitness
- Play reduces stress levels, improves mood and concentration
- Children develop more naturally attuned sleep rhythms
Who knows what the Great British weather will bring, but as the saying goes "there's no such thing as bad weather, only unsuitable clothing" which is why we've designed our set of activity cards for families to enjoy inside or out over the extended bank holiday weekend.
| Attachment | Size |
|---|---|
 Handprint Bunting | 982.57 KB |
| Attachment | Size |
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| Make a fun and easy crown | 1.79 MB |
| Attachment | Size |
|---|---|
| Stepping Stones | 2.24 MB |
| Attachment | Size |
|---|---|
| All the Kings Horses | 848.69 KB |
| Attachment | Size |
|---|---|
| Shoebox Garden | 1.51 MB |