Your child's playtime should be that one thing in their life that doesn't have a set of restrictive rules. After all, one set of rules that apply to one child may not necessarily be befitting for another--and that's because children are all unique and have different ways of learning, enjoying, and expressing themselves. Let your child enjoy free play and see the benefits for their growth!
Free play is one led by a child. They make the rules, the pacing, the direction, with minimal supervision from an adult, allowing them to develop their independence. However, be mindful of how involved you can get during free play because when there's an adult around, children aren't as free to be themselves--they have the natural tendency to try to please an adult. Instead, you can have two or more children to play along and allow them to enjoy this freedom by themselves.
When a child is unrestricted or not boxed by certain rules, their imagination gets to work, developing their creativity in the process. They are able to push beyond their limits and come up with fun variations of what they already know. You'll be surprised by how creative they can get!
Given the freedom to make their own rules, a child can learn and grow at their own pace through the games that they play. Having this sense of control gives them confidence in themselves. By overcoming some obstacles while playing, they get to understand just how much they're capable of doing. Not only that, but they also get to take hold of their emotions--they get to make sense of disappointments and rise above them.
You know how important it is for kids to incorporate movement and exercise into their daily routine. While some don't have a problem getting up on their feet and moving away from their gadgets, it's still a struggle for others. You see, kids are able to maximize their youthful energy when they are free to move, unrestricted, and unpressured. Take them out and allow them to explore on their own, and you'll be seeing them move on their own in no time.
Do you encourage your kids to do free play? What benefits have you noticed for them?
