The Importance of Play

Throughout most of history, kids have spent hour after hour playing with parents, siblings, babysitters, and friends. Play is so important in child development that it's been recognized by the United Nations High Commission for Human Rights as a right of every child.

But the amount of time that children spend playing each day has gone down considerably over the last two decades. A 1989 survey taken by the National Association of Elementary School Principals found that 96 percent of schools had at least one recess period for kids. A decade later, a similar survey found that only 70 percent of kindergarten classes offered even one recess period each day.

The key to helping your child reach his potential -- without the added anxiety -- is to find the right balance between work and play. Here are some recommendations from the AAP:

-Give kids ample, unscheduled time to be creative, to reflect, and to decompress
-Encourage your children to engage in active play (running around or playing tag) in lieu of passive entertainment (video games or television)
-Buy your children "true" toys, such as blocks or dolls, that encourage imagination and creativity
-Spend unscheduled, unstructured time together with your kids
-Ask your child regularly whether he feels overly tired, burned out, or overscheduled
-Allow your children to have a say in which extracurricular activities they are involved in
-Get involved in your child's school and take an active role in ensuring that all kids are getting ample free time

Remember, play is a cherished part of childhood. By finding the right balance between work and play, your children will grow up happier, better adjusted, and more prepared to conquer the world.

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4 Tips to Throwing a Kid’s Party

4 Tips to Throwing a Kid’s Party will help you create a fabulous event, all while maintaining your sanity and your sleep.

1 – First, begin by choosing a theme and/or color scheme. This may sound overly simple, but with the Pinterest world in which we live, sometimes we end up over stimulated with ideas. Narrow it down to one theme and/or color scheme. Choosing a color scheme helps you make choices when picking plates, decorations, etc. To help while out shopping, create a guide by printing inspiration photos and a color scheme card.

2 – Keep It Simple. We have a tendency to want to go overboard, but some of the favorite parties have been the simplest ones. Start with a basic white tablecloth and add some pops of color.

3 – Order a plain, inexpensive cake but top with a unique topper. There are so many options for cake toppers right now. You can DIY one, order a personalized topper, or even use a figurine or decoration you already have. No more late nights trying to figure out how to make the cake resemble a basket weave pattern when you cut into it. That has Pinterest fail written all over it.

4 – Favors that double as activities. When you are thinking up favors for the party, think of favors that could also be used as activities. A game or craft are great ways to do this. For a recent Magic Tree House party I did, the kids had to solve clues to find all the party favors.

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The Magic Years of Pretend Play

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With the help of a frilly dress, tiara, and magic wand, your 3-year-old is transformed into the queen of a magical universe where her hobby horse is a winged unicorn. When you're asked to taste the pink clouds, you agree that they're a lot like bubblegum.

Your son pulls a sheet over his shoulders and runs as fast as he can across the lawn. The air lifts the fabric; your boy's legs leap into the air. "I'm flying, mommy!" the 4-year-old says. He's a superhero, out to save the backyard from dragons hiding behind the bushes and find treasure buried in the sandbox.

Parents of preschoolers have a front-row seat to some of the most imaginative theater ever produced. These are the so-called "magic years" — when a child's brain is developed enough to imagine grand stories but not yet complex enough to reason the way adults do and ask, "But can that really happen?"

Pretend play lets kids try out new roles for themselves (like superheroes, princesses, wild animals, or even parents) and allows for creative problem-solving. But it also helps them deal with another hurdle of the preschool years: intense emotions. Baby dolls might be put in "time out" and scolded for actions suspiciously similar to your little one's latest offense. An imaginary friend (who's a bigger troublemaker than your child ever could be) might be dreamed up to help your child deal with feelings of guilt and remorse following a moment of lost control, such as hitting a playmate.

Self-control is a tough skill to learn, and pretend play helps kids practice it as well as play out the frustration it creates.

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Benefits of Pretend Play

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In this day of technology where young children are continually spending more and more hours each week in front of the TV, smart phone, or tablet, the amount of time actually playing is being jeopardized. As parents, it is crucial that we encourage our children to engage in imaginative play.

Pretend play is when a child uses his or her imagination to create scenarios involving multiple perspectives, either with themselves, other children, or toys. Various research studies on the benefits of pretend play have shown that it is a crucial aspect of childhood development. Some of the long-term benefits include:

Encourages Creativity
Expands Social Skills
Allows for Self-Expression
Enhances cognitive flexibility
Increases language skills
Teaches problem solving/conflict resolution

OFFER A VARIETY OF TRADITIONAL TOYS
One great way to introduce pretend play to little ones is through baby dolls and accessories. Yes, even little boys can enjoy playing with dolls! It is fun for kids to pretend to feed and burp and change diapers – all things they know that you did with them. Another great toy option are static figurines, like plastic dinosaurs, and colorful wooden blocks! The combination of those toys can provide hours of play for a child with a good imagination.

PLAY WITH THEM
You can be a catalyst in teaching your young child how to engage in pretend play by encouraging their imaginations to run wild. Take some time out and get down and play with them!

SET UP PLAYDATES
There is nothing quite like witnessing the elaborate games that two 4-year-olds come up with when put in a quiet room together. Children’s imaginations can really run wild and play off each other as early as age three. Not only do playdates give you a break, but it allows your child to expand their social skills by interacting with someone who is literally on their same level.

ENCOURAGE SOLO PLAY
Solo play is just as important to your child’s development as social play. Dedicate periods during their day to “quiet time” where your child has the freedom to play with their toys, books, and games at their own free will without any distractions. At first they may think this is boring because no one is playing with them, but over time they will learn to use their imaginations to make their toys come to life.

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