Resources on Early Learning

Tip Sheets

It has been said that play is children's work. Children work hard at their play because they can make it up themselves. The best part about children's play is that they learn a great deal while having fun. Here are some things to keep in mind about play.

"Play" can be any spontaneous activity that is fun.

Spontaneous play occurs when children do an activity freely. If children organize a ball game, dramatic play, or a game of hide-and-seek, they are meeting their needs for spontaneous play. Spontaneous play is different from enrolling children in little league or signing them up for dance lessons. Children benefit most from a balance of activities adults plan and lead and activities that children plan and lead on their own.

Play can be an effective and enjoyable way for children to develop skills:

• Language skills when they play name games, sing songs, and recite jump rope rhymes.
• Thinking skills when they construct a block tower, follow directions to a game, and figure out pieces to a puzzle.
• Small-muscle skills when they string beads, make clay figures, and cut with scissors.
• Large-muscle skills when they play ball, roller skate, and run relay races.
• Creative skills when they make up stories, put on a puppet show, and play with dress-ups.
• Social skills when they team up to play ball games, discuss rules for a card game, and decide who will play what part in dramatic play

It is important to remove barriers to children's opportunities to play, such as:

• Too many structured activities. When their lives are overscheduled with activities, sports, and lessons, children do not have time to themselves and for unstructured play.
• Too much television. When children watch too much television, their play too often mimics what they see on TV (or on the video or computer screen). TV watching also robs children of valuable time to play.

If a child says, "I'm bored," she may need more unstructured time for play.

Parents often hear children complain about boredom when activities are not scheduled for them. Children need "down time" and time to be alone. These are the occasions when children's imagination and creativity take hold. These are the times when children experience the full benefits of play.

You can learn more about young children and play at these Web sites:

• IEL Ask an Expert: Children's Play - More than Fun and Games
  http://illinoisearlylearning.org/askanexpert/mendoza/index.htm
• Play in the Early Years
  http://www.allianceforchildhood.org/sites/allianceforchildhood.org/files/file/pdf/
  pdf_files/BAECF_Play_in_the_Early_Years_May07.pdf
• Rough Play: What to Do When Play Gets Out of Control
  http://www.education.pitt.edu/ocd/publications/parentingguides/RoughPlay.pdf
• Time to Play, Time to Dream: Unscheduling Your Child
  http://illinoisearlylearning.org/tipsheets/unstructured.htm
• How Playing With Toys and Games Promotes Development
  http://www.teachingstrategies.com/content/pageDocs/CC4_Ch8_exrpt.pdf
• All Work And No Play Makes For Troubling Trend In Early Education
  http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/02/090212125137.htm
• Crisis in the Kindergarten: Why Children Need to Play in School
  http://www.allianceforchildhood.org/sites/allianceforchildhood.org/files/file/kindergarten_report.pdf

Spanish: ¡Los niños pequeños necesitan jugar!

The opinions, resources, and referrals provided in this Tip Sheet are intended for information purposes only and should not be considered or used as a substitute for medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. We advise parents to seek the advice of a physician or other qualified health care provider with questions regarding their child’s health or medical conditions.

Home Return to Tip Sheets