Why Is Play Important?
A child’s primary “occupation” or ”job” is to play. Play is a powerful experience during childhood and has a large impact on one’s life. When a child engages in a playful experience he or she develops their physical coordination, social skills and emotional competency. Through play a child also learns about the world around them and integrates one’s senses which are foundational for learning. Play engages a child, motivates him or her to accept a challenge and in turn promotes confidence.
What Can Parents Do To Encourage Play?
• Let’s Get Messy: Play with a variety of sensory rich mediums. Drawing with shaving cream in the bathtub, finger painting with pudding, or building sand or dirt creations.
• Let’s Move: Encourage movement. Create an obstacle course using common household objects and actions such as crawling or jumping. Get outside to swing, climb or slide.
• Imagine That: Promote imagination and pretend play. Slither like snake through the jungle, have a princess tea party, or create a puppet show using some old socks.
• Finger Fun: Encourage dexterity and eye-hand coordination by playing with pop beads, Legos, play dough, or board games. For added fun, use chopsticks or clothespins to move the game pieces.
• My Turn, Your Turn: Games or activities that require turn taking. Balloon volleyball or taking turns adding a piece to a puzzle or blocks to a block tower. Board games are great way to also promote turn taking.
• Less is Best: Sometimes it’s the simple items around the house that have a big impact. A large empty box from your last delivery that can create hours of fun. How Can Occupational Therapy Help?
• An occupational therapist can assess a child’s strength and specific needs that may be impacting his or her ability to play successfully.
• Encourage and expand a child’s repertoire of play.
• Suggest activities to improve strength, coordination, fine and gross motor skills for greater success participating in daily activities and play.
• Promote confidence while providing the “just right” challenge and building on the child’s strengths.
• Adapt or modify toys or the environment so that a child does not feel overwhelmed by sensations they may be sensitive to.
• Suggest toys or activities that are developmentally appropriate.
• Foster social skills, through individual and group play experiences.
How Can Occupational Therapy Help?
• An occupational therapist can assess a child’s strength and specific needs that may be impacting his or her ability to play successfully.
• Encourage and expand a child’s repertoire of play.
• Suggest activities to improve strength, coordination, fine and gross motor skills for greater success participating in daily activities and play.
• Promote confidence while providing the “just right” challenge and building on the child’s strengths.
• Adapt or modify toys or the environment so that a child does not feel overwhelmed by sensations they may be sensitive to.
• Suggest toys or activities that are developmentally appropriate.
• Foster social skills, through individual and group play experiences. Need More Information? Difficulties with play can indicate a need for a further assessment. If you would like more information, please visit www.spotsot.com or call (908) 447-4737 for a complimentary phone consultation to see if occupational therapy is appropriate for your child. Special Programs in Occupational Therapy Services (SPOTS) in a pediatric occupational therapy practice with a location in Nyack, NY. Founded in 1998 in Manhattan, NY, SPOTS is now excited to be offering services in Rockland County. Over the last seventeen years SPOTS has helped hundreds of children improve their motor, social, sensory, and regulatory skills so that they can be successful at participating in their daily environments.
