What Do Kids Need Right Now? Play

Wondering what kids need right now? Mr. Rogers had it right: ““Play is often talked about as if it were a relief from serious learning. But for children play is serious learning. Play is really the work of childhood.”

In the early days of the lockdown, I wrote a piece for PBS KIDS about how play can help children navigate everyday challenges and traumatic events:

Child development experts tell us that play is an essential part of childhood. It’s not frivolous. It’s not an extra. Play supports kids’ cognitive, social, emotional and character development. It strengthens their language and executive function skills. And it strengthens their emotional bonds to the people they play with. In this global health crisis, here’s what parents need to know: when children experience stress and adversity, play becomes more important than ever.

Pretend play is a key way children process emotions and events. And researchers have found that the joy children experience when they play with their caregivers helps them regulate their brain’s stress response. Making time for play can help our children navigate stress, experience joy and build resilience.

One year later, this still all holds true. Whether you are worried about academic progress or emotional adjustment, pla y is the answer.

Want to learn more? Here are two articles I’ve written you may enjoy:

 How play helps kids navigate stress and anxiety.

How play builds executive function skills — the building blocks of academic success.