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

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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Tips and Tricks for Party Planning

Want to throw your child an awesome party without breaking the bank? We've got you covered! Here are our best tips for sticking to a budget at your next bash.

1. Timing is everything. Plan your party from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m., says Danielle Walker, author of Against All Grain: Celebrations. After lunch and before dinner is the best time to party, when guests don't expect a full meal.

2. Stretch your planning. Start supply-hunting early; it’ll give you time to comparison shop. Plus, you’ll save yourself from running out at the last minute to buy overpriced things you’ve forgotten. Be on the lookout all year for party items that go on sale, usually in the dollar bin at Target, Dollar Tree, or the 99-cent store.

3. Go digital. In a parents' survey of nearly 1,500 parents, 73 percent of you said you sent paper invitations for your kid’s last birthday party. Next time, send your guests a free electronic invitation; you’ll save what you’d normally spend on paper invites.

4. Double up. If your kid’s birthday falls close to a buddy’s, consider a dual party. You and the other child’s parents will split the cost—and responsibilities. Just make sure each kid gets her own cake.

5. Avoid party-store traps. Don’t pay a markup for party-store items that you could find elsewhere for less. For example, chocolates may be sold five for $1 (20 cents each) at party shops, but a bag of minis from a big-box store can be half as much.

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The Magic Years of Pretend Play

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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