Have you ever watched your child’s therapist and wondered, “why are they just playing with my child”? That is a question that is often posed to us in the therapy world. After hearing this multiple times, it dawned on me that not everyone knows the importance of play in kids, and I need to do a better job of outlining what therapy will look like and WHY we play!
Did you know, your child’s main “job” in life when they are little is to play! Play is how children learn about the world around them. Thinking about even when they are babies, they attend and learn/respond better to more playful sounds and songs and look at objects in a different way (banging it, mouthing it, throwing it). Often the sillier we are, the more engaged a child will be. This is often how we get those first smiles, laughs, and real interactions with our little ones! Play is often fun and when kids are having fun, they are typically more motivated to communicate and learn about what is happening around them!
Think about what you like to learn about and how you learn about it best. We all have different learning styles (I am a tactile kinesthetic learner, which means I need to be moving and doing something to retain the information). Play gives kids a variety of ways to take in information! They are often hearing models of language (auditory/verbal), they are practicing and talking through scenarios and looking at the items themselves (visual), and they are moving their bodies (tactile kinesthetic)! This gives them a great opportunity to learn more language and keep them engaged!
Engagement is the other great piece about play! When a child is engaged and motivated, they are more willing to listen to what you are saying and will retain it better because it means something to them! They will also do the task for longer, which means more repetitions and exposures! Again, thinking about ourselves, if we are not interested in something or it isn’t enjoyable, how long are we going to attempt to do it or retain what we learn? This is why in therapy here at Family Chatterbox, we talk about motivation and play!
So, next time you wonder about why your therapist is “just playing” with your child, ask them what they are targeting! It is our job to let you know what we are working on specifically while we “play” and teach your child! Then, you can continue to do it while we are not there! If you want more information about play and it’s importance, please do not hesitate to reach out! Look back later to find out “how to” play with your child if you need ideas!!
~Amber