Some parents worry that they don’t spend enough time playing with their children and feel guilty if they are not spending extended periods of time playing together. Well, the good news is, short but frequent playtimes can be almost as beneficial as one longer playtime. And when I say short playtimes, I mean anything lasting 5 minutes or less! I call these short playtimes “Mini Playtimes” and they can be child-directed or parent-directed.
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Advanced Parent-Child Playtime: Switching Between Child-Directed Play and Parent-Directed Play
In this article, I would like to discuss what I call “advanced parent-child playtime.” In advanced parent-child playtime, parents may switch between facilitating either Parent-Directed Playtime (PDP) or Child-Directed Playtime (CDP). In other words, you have the choice to “jump in” to a Directive Role to facilitate PDP where you are structuring and directing the play, or to “back off” to a Nondirective Role to facilitate CDP where you are letting your child lead and direct the play.
Jumping In or Backing Off? Directive and Nondirective Parent Roles in Playtime
Parents have many questions around playing with their children. One question is, “When should I jump in and structure an activity, stimulate engagement, regulate emotional arousal, suggest ideas, or guide my child during playtime, and when should I back off and let my child take the lead, accept my child’s choices and decisions, follow my child’s directions, or allow my child some independence during playtime?”
Parent-Directed Playtime: Different than Child-Directed Playtime but just as important!
Previously, I have focused on Child-Directed Playtime. I would now like to introduce Parent-Directed Playtime as way for parents to play with their children that is different, but just as important, as Child-Directed Playtime.
Encouraging Children to Play Imaginatively and Creatively
Imaginative and creative play is not only a wonderful way for children to have fun, it is also a very natural way for children to learn about the world. This type of play involves a child’s whole body: physically, mentally and socially. Actively using their large and small muscles as well as their different senses in play, children develop healthy, strong, and complete neurological connections in their brains.
This article will help parents with some ideas on how to set up imaginative and creative play activities for their 3 – 10 year-old children that will encourage healthy development.