The Importance of Play in Toddlers and Infants (Essay Sample)

The Importance of Play in Toddlers and Infants
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June, 2015
The Importance of Play in Toddlers and Infants
Introduction
Parents have a notion that if they take their infants outdoors they’ll get sick. They also blame it for lack of time owing to their busy schedules and routines. However, programs such as Head Start and Early Head Start (EHS) have long recognized the significance of playing for children. According to research, young children are spending less time outdoors engaging in active play and exploring the natural world. It’s blamed on fears of the dangers involved and the safety of the infants. The trend has significant adverse effects on young children’s health and development suggesting that play is critical for the toddlers and infants healthy growth. They should be allowed to play to reduce the occurrence of obesity, depression and attention disorders since play enhances their senses and attention. Playing in children has critical role in strengthening their connections to the outdoors. The paper explores the significance of the game in babies and toddlers and how to encourage or adapt the play to enhance their development and safety.
Background
Outdoor play and exploration is significant to infants and toddlers as it helps them to connect with and develop an appreciation for the natural environment. The first few years of the child development allow them to make sense of their world. A research in the state of outdoor play and exploration in US suggests that in the past ten years, young children spend less time outdoors engaging in active play. The less time for play experienced in toddlers and infants is encouraged for different reasons such as adult fears about crime and safety. Increased use of televisions and digital media also limits the infant’s chance of engaging in outdoor activities and play. The children often have limited free time to engage in play. Educators, health, and mental health professionals suggest that lack of playing in toddlers and infants has adverse effects on their health and development. It amounts to a nature-deficit disorder that contributes to the rise in obesity, depression as well as attention disorders among young children. When young children spend less time or play in the natural surroundings, their sense narrow physiologically and psychologically. Therefore, it’s critical to ensure toddlers and infants play to enhance their development and reduce the adverse effect of less playing (Manning-Morton & Thorp, 2003).
Importance of Play to Infants and Toddlers
Play in infants and toddlers have a critical role in strengthening babies and toddlers connections to the outdoors. Play improves the young children’s health and enhances their development. Play enables the toddlers to make sense of their world by taking the information and ideas in the outside world. It offers an enjoyable experience for infants and toddlers as well as enabling cognitive development. Play allows the brain synapses to form at a rapid rate. The synapses formed depend on the richness of the child’s sensory environment. Therefore, it’s necessary to ensure toddlers and infants play to improve their sensory ability. Play and outdoor experience promote early language development acting as a foundation for literacy and science learning. On the other hand, the rich sensory experience encouraged by play among toddlers and infants gives the young children something to talk about in life. Engaging in play among toddlers and children promotes their social development. Play encourages verbalization that promotes social development. Toddlers with less physical play can also watch others thus promoting their social development at an early stage (Guyton, 2011).
Play in toddlers and infants are also critical for their physical development. It enables them acquire necessary motor movement. Playing allows the brain to be active and allows it to gather and store information that provides a solid foundation for movement activities. Some of the games the toddlers engage in provide health benefits. Physical play strengthens the toddlers and infant’s hearts, lungs and muscles. Play improves the infant’s motor skills and improves the overall fitness level of the children. Also, play in toddlers and children acts as a strong defense against childhood obesity. Obesity is encouraged by the lack of physical exercise and is prevalent among young children. Therefore, it’s critical for parents to ensure their children engage in play to foster their physical health and reduce the chances of acquiring obesity.
Play and outdoor activities strengthen the young children’s immune systems as they experience lower rates of illness that are related to child care. Play ensures the toddlers and infants are active and healthy since some of the games happen outdoor. Therefore, they get a chance to acquire Vitamin D required to absorb calcium to strengthen bones and teeth’s. According to research, infants and toddlers who play outdoors are less likely to be nearsighted as they are exposed to bright natural light that stimulates developing of the eyes. Play improves awareness, reasoning and observation skills among the toddlers and infants. Also, there are increased social interactions between children as well as improving the children’s ability to focus and pay attention. The play also promotes communication skills as the young children interact and play together. Play helps in building the young children’s confidence and acts as the most critical things a parent can offer to the child (DaCosta & Seok, 2014).
Play in toddlers and infants helps them feel loved, safe and happy as they interact with each other and the parents. They also learn to care for others and the environment as well as developing their physical skills. Playing allows the infants to refine pathways in their brains and improve their interaction behaviors. According to research, there are different types of play for babies and toddlers that enhance their development and health. Unstructured play happens in children depending on what interests the child at the time. The play is not planned and is also referred to as free play in which the child makes use of her imagination. The unstructured play includes imaginative games, creative play alone of exploring new play spaces for toddlers and infants. On the other hand, the concept of playing with young children also includes a structured play that is more organized and happens at a selected time or in a given space. The structured play also involves an adult who leads the infant such as storytelling groups, water familiarization, and dance or music for children of all ages. Both structured and unstructured play happens in outdoor or indoor environments. However, it’s critical for parents to encourage outdoor play since it gives the child a chance to explore, test their physical limits and be active.
Structured play is relevant to toddlers since it can encourage their development such as the use of hoops, boxes or pillows to improve the child’s ability to move and balance. Other games enhance their cognitive skills as well as encouraging physical activities. Play teaches the young children skills that can be used later in life as well as developing their intellectual ability. It makes the kids...