By Anjum Jaffer,

Head of Curriculum and Education

 

In my field of work I often come across individuals who think playing, for a child, is a waste of time. On many occasions we have heard, ‘Please do not let my child waste his time playing, he should only be working in school.’ 

‘Work’ often means deskwork, where the student sits at his place and reads, writes or completes worksheets after worksheets. While deskwork is important for a student, I feel, it is necessary to clear a few misconceptions about ‘play’. I am not trying to promote unsupervised, meaningless or violent play but the advantages of organised and planned play activities.

 

Contrary to popular belief, children do learn many things through play. Ideas and concepts, which are otherwise very difficult to teach, can be taught easily through structured play activities. Concepts already learnt can be reinforced through meaningful games and activities. Structured, constructive play can teach a child many skills without putting any stress on the child. A play activity can be easily modified to include any concept/topic that a child needs to learn.

For instance, a simple board game like Snakes and Ladders enables a child to:

·     take turns

·     develop patience to wait for his turn

·     read and recognise numbers

·     count

·     develop the concept of greater than/ less than

·     accept disappointments, in case of not winning the game

·     maintain attention throughout the game

·     improve fine motor skills while throwing the dice and moving the pieces

·     interact with fellow players

 

We often tend to forget or take for granted the significance of creativity and imagination in our lives. Both of these attributes can be developed through play. Even by allowing a child to play with something as simple as blocks, we can give him a chance to discover his creative talent.

 

 Games like Tag, Football and Basketball help a child develop:

 

·     his gross motor coordination,

·     physical strength

·     team spirit and cooperation

·     accepting defeat

·     the concept of scores, winning and losing

·     sportsmanship

 

While playing, a child uses most or all of his senses simultaneously and this multi-sensory way of learning, according to research, is the most effective way of teaching as it helps remember concepts better. A child also needs a range of activities which enable him to practice the skills that he learns in the classroom.

 

Relationships among siblings, friends or with teachers and parents are made on the basis of mutual trust. A little time spent with a child playing a game immediately makes him feel important and loved. Children with special needs, who often feel unwanted, gain a lot of confidence with this kind of extra attention. This is also one way of gaining their trust, thus soldering their relationship with the people close to them.

 

Social skills-

 When a child plays with his friends, in an organised setting, he learns to follow the rules of the game, take turns, wait for his turn, mutual respect, control his impulses and adhere to common courtesies. These skills are very important and can best be taught through situations.

 Playtime provides ample opportunity for communication to a child. In a relaxed atmosphere a child sheds many of his inhibitions and is able express himself more freely than in a typical classroom or home situation. His vocabulary develops as he begins to learn words and terms related to the game and, at a later stage, may use them in a general context.

 

Yes, just one more thing- never leave a young child unattended while playing. Better still, play with him and embark on a journey of discovery. The reward will be well worth the effort!