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At a very basic level, children develop control of their bodies and muscles through play. Jumping, skipping, throwing, bouncing, all help with coordination and motor development. Play is also extremely important in the social and emotional lives of our children. It helps children work through the emotional stages of childhood including developing trust, autonomy, initiative and a sense of competence. Children gain social skills, develop interpersonal relationships, and experiment with various roles in play. Make-believe play, in particular, has been related to increases in cooperation, empathy, impulse control, and reduced aggression. Play also offers opportunities for expressive language, decision-making, and problem solving. On a cognitive level, young children learn through the "hands on" experiences of play. They can learn about weight through playing with sand and water, about numbers by counting vegetables in the pretend store, and about using symbols by playing with unstructured toys. These activities that may seem so simple actually lay the groundwork for later learning in reading, writing, math, and science.

To be considered play, leading researches agree that children's activities must meet certain criteria. First, the play activity must be pleasurable and enjoyable. Second, it must be spontaneous and voluntary. The child should chose the play, not be told what to play. Third, the player must be actively engaged in play. When a child sits passively and watches play happen, this is not considered a play activity. Next, play contains an aspect of make believe. Lastly, play must have no extrinsic goals. The play experience must happen for the sake of play, not with a covert agenda of teaching a skill. 1

Today, a large percentage of typical daily activities for children do not meet the requirements for true play. In the mix of high-tech toys, pressure for early academics, organized sports, computer games and television, children aren't playing in the true spirit of play. Child development specialists, teachers, and parents are observing that children are increasingly wanting to be entertained and seem to be losing their ability to play creatively. Meaning that when they do play, children are reenacting scenes they have seen on television and in computer games, not playing out of their own imaginations.

Many child development specialists, psychologists, educators, and health professionals are beginning to speak out on the subject. Groups such as The Alliance for Childhood (www.allianceforchildhood.org) and the International Association for the Child’s Right to Play (www.ipausa.org) are educating parents and policy makers and advocating on behalf of children’s right to play. Many books are also addressing the importance of creativity and imagination, some even refuting marketing by toy companies that claim to be based on brain research. Dr. Jane M. Healy’s Endangered Minds: Why Children Don’t Think and What We Can Do About It and Einstein Never Used Flash Cards by Doctors Roberta Michnick Golinkoff and Kathy Hirsh-Pasek are two good examples. Also, recent advances in brain research are beginning to confirm what many play based philosophies, such as Waldorf education, already knew – heavy emphasis on early academics isn’t age appropriate. Children need to play. They need to be given time for child-initiated, spontaneous play free from adult interruption or direction.

very important aspect of early childhood learning is the ability to role play. Children learn through doing and mimicking those around them. It is how they discover and learn about the world. Obviously this is why role models need to be especially careful regarding their own behavior in front of children – it will be copied.

Part of the learning process involves being put into certain situations and choosing what the outcome will be. Children indulging in creative play will have to make decisions about important events. They will project themselves into a situation that requires empathy and understanding of the role. One of the most favourite role playing scenarios of childhood is playing house. Have you ever watched this happen? See how they mimic the parents and care for the ‘baby’, how they discipline and choose outcomes. They are learning more about their world in this situation than you could ever imagine. So it is vital that children be exposed to many opportunities to role play. You can help this along with providing a few basic elements conducive to creative and dramatic play in your home. Stay tuned in to your child’s needs and provide opportunities to expand on the game. Here are some ideas to get you going:

PLAYING SHOP

Set up an organic grocery store. Bring down the canned goods and save the empty cereal boxes for just such an occasion. Get together and price all the goods and then make a cart out of an old box. Cut up some paper for money and choose your shopkeeper. Next, make a grocery list and go shopping.

While the kids are having a great time pretending to play shop, they are learning organizational skills, mathematical skills and problem solving.

PROP BOXES

Teach your kids about basic grooming with a hairdressing prop box. Don’t throw away that old hairdryer, remove the cord and save it for the box. Throw in some rollers and hairbrushes and clips and you have a great start to a salon.

Put together a restaurant box with some homemade menus,  plates, made- money, aprons and cutlery.Set the table with cloths, napkins, vase of flowers. Practice ordering from the menu and discussing how you behave when eating out. (thrift stores / op shops are great places for buying pieces of cutlery, aprons, sheets for tablecloths and cloth napkins, vases etc).

Get an Emergency services box together with some fireman and policeman accessories. This is a great way for children to learn about the role of these people in our society. Act out a few scenarios that require assistance and let the children choose an appropriate response. Here, they will learn about compassion and helping others.

DRESS UP BOX

One of the easiest ways to let your kids get inventive is to provide a dress up box full of old clothes and cloths. Let them experiment with taking on different personas by providing a variety of clothing choices. Hats, shoes, coats, shirts, dresses and more all appropriate for different occasions. Do you kids know why? (again op-stores are great to shop for your dress up box items).

SET UP AN OFFICE

Does Mum or Dad work in an office? Here is a great way for your children to understand what it is that you do in your work life. Set up a mini workstation similar to the one you use at work. Perhaps you could find an old typewriter or keyboard and sit it upon a desk at their height. Provide some paper and some crayons and an old telephone. Slowly direct them through your routine and discuss what it is that you do.

SET UP SCHOOL

Make a school room at home and let the kids play schoolhouse. Use desks and chairs and let them take turns being a teacher and set the homework. This is a great way for older school children relieve some of the pressures of school life and a great way for you to gain some insight into their day. Go one step further and establish the principles office and create some scenarios as to why someone may have to pay a visit! This is also a good way to approach peer pressure issues.

Most children will naturally seek out ways to be creative in their play, but there is a lot that you can do to help enhance that play and direct it so that everyone will get the most out of it. Children enjoy being creative, it helps them to make sense of the world, and they will especially enjoy the time that they will spend with you. Providing and participating in creative and role playing afford you greater insight into your child’s life – and that’s a great thing! A special room or place that is set up is great for creative play.