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Play accompanies the child from infancy. In the beginning, these are simple and repetitive activities, such as grabbing and moving objects or uncomplicated interactions with parents. Even then, however, they have a huge impact on the formation of various skills or behaviors. Find out how play affects your toddler in the first years of life.
First: Play shapes the mind
The acquisition of knowledge is much faster when the received information is interesting for a person. This works for both adults and little ones. That is why it is worth making sure that learning is accompanied by pleasure from early childhood. While playing, the toddler engages a lot of emotions, which means that he gains various types of skills much faster. Parents can propose a way to play themselves or allow the child to play freely – each form supports intellectual development.
First of all, activities should be adapted to the toddler’s age and skills. Sensory toys with colorful pictures and rustling elements will work for an infant under the year of age. Including creative objects in play influences the development of the sense of sight, hearing, and thanks to various textures – also the sense of touch. Did you know that this type of accessories can also be made by yourself? It will be a good idea to use, for example, pasta, rice for dusting or flour mixed with water to obtain different consistencies. It is worth remembering that such games should take place under the watchful eye of parents. And – what is important – the mere presence of mom or dad and even the simplest fun together is more important for a toddler than fancy accessories.
Second: Fun satisfies the need for exercise
Supporting development is also encouraging the child to play in movement. Physical activity is a proper habit for people of all ages – also in infancy. Movement is a natural developmental stimulus, thanks to which the body and its functions are shaped. These stimuli affect the senses, intelligence and emotions. Thanks to physical activity, the child gets to know the world around them, gains experience, and shapes memory and attention. Parents should encourage their toddler to play in movement from infancy.
Third: Play supports motor development and learning to be independent
Thanks to the combination of physical activity and play, the child’s motor development occurs. After 6 months of age, your baby’s movements become increasingly coordinated. Usually, the child is able to hold the head steadily, starts to sit up, crawl or grab and transfer objects between the handles – he is already playing with blocks quite smoothly. The acquired skills make the baby more resourceful in the second half of the year, even making the first attempts to eat independently. Parents can support this process by giving their baby food directly into a bowl, plate or handle.
“There are delicious offers on the Polish market – fruit mousses in handy tubes, porridges, cookies and bars – with the image of children’s favorite fairy tales. Thanks to them, children can improve their independence while having a great time – both at home and during a walk or a long trip. When choosing them, it is worth reaching for those with an age indication on the packaging (e.g. after 6 or 8 months of age). Such food, in accordance with the law, meets extremely stringent quality standards, and does not contain preservatives, dyes and flavor enhancers. These types of products are a great way to make your toddler discover new tastes while expanding the diet, ”explains Mariola Darzycka, BoboVita expert.
Fourth: Play affects interpersonal relationships
Play meets the mental and social needs of a child. Contact with parents and loved ones helps to learn to communicate and read emotions of others. By playing together, the foundations of social skills, such as asking, refusing or working in a group, are built already in early childhood. Interactions based on cooperation also build trust and a sense of security in the toddler.
Fifth: Fun relieves emotions
A child is often exposed to many stimuli that can cause him or her excitement, anger, frustration or sadness. Thanks to proper play, the toddler will relieve tension, which will be especially helpful before going to bed. For example – all kinds of relaxation games will work in calming down. One such activity is listening to calming music. The best one will be the one with repetitive sounds and a steady rhythm. It is worth remembering that the melodies should be played relatively quietly. A great idea to calm your baby down is also hugging, rocking, reading fairy tales or singing lullabies. Artistic games such as making plasticine figures, drawing with crayons or painting with paints can also help slightly older children relax. On this occasion, the toddler will have the opportunity to express his emotions through creative work. Sometimes the simple “jumping out” is enough for the child to discharge the emotions of the day.
Important information: It is recommended to continue breastfeeding while introducing complementary foods. Breastfeeding should continue for as long as desired by mother and baby. Breastfeeding is best for your baby.