Written by Kathy Eugster, MA

We are learning from the fields of neuroscience and child-development how important it is for parents to play with their kids. That children need many positive, face-to-face interactions with attentive, sensitive, and responsive parents or caregivers for healthy brain and nervous system development. Play activities between parent and child are excellent ways to provide these necessary interactions to children. 

Parent-child play offers unique benefits to children over children’s peer play or independent play because parents are older and wiser and can support their child’s development in a variety of different ways. Many research studies have found that play between a parent and child is one of the best ways to strengthen the parent-child relationship.

Written by Lorrie Holmes – story originally published in BC Parent!

We have recently spoken with three child development experts who all agree that children learn best through play. Beginning with renowned counsellor, scientist and storyteller, Dr. Deborah MacNamara, along with early childhood education college instructors, Candiss Brown and Nika Jibrael – according to all three, play is where it all begins.

BC PARENT:  Why is play so important to the development of young children?

DR. MACNAMARA: The research on the science of play finds there are three key areas it serves when it comes to a child’s development. Play is central to overall brain integration, with motor and sensory systems networking with language and emotional centres. In play, a child’s sense of agency is enhanced as they explore and make sense of their world, developing as a separate self in the process. The discovery of personal preferences, wants, wishes and desires is based upon this type of examination of the world, up close and personal.