Play :: Definitely More Than Child's Play

Play is more than just children amusing themselves and having fun with toys. It is a means whereby their life experiences can be enriched.

In using play as a tool to facilitate children’s overall development, parents and caregivers need to be aware of the importance of age-appropriateness. What this means is that there are certain developmental milestones in children where learning will be enhanced if certain toys and games were employed corresponding to that stage of development. For example, between the ages of 4 to 5 years, children are beginning to realise cause and effect (‘if I behave, then grandma will be happy and I might get special dessert’); hence, children at that age will enjoy playing games like making up stories and jokes with puns, as well as sorting and matching picture puzzles. Below is a table of recommended games and toys that parents and caregivers can use to seriously play with their children.

Age	Suggested Games/Toys
Birth - 3 months	Sing songs, tell stories and nursery rhymes; play music rattles and squeaky toys; colourful wall decorations; large bright pictures and mobiles (babies enjoy sounds, bright and moving objects),
3 - 6 months	Play rattles, teething rings and bracelets; toys that can be squeezed; large beads and spools strung together; floating bath toys; bounce chair
6 - 9 months	Play peek-a-boo; riding horsy on someone’s knee; using wooden spoon with toy pots, pans and lids; colourful light weight blocks; stuffed animals (preferably those with noises); cloth books with texture
9 - 12 months	Removing shoes/clothing; big balls; push or pull toys; stacking toys; stuffed animals and dolls; paper to crinkle and tear (must be supervised); objects with interesting textures to grasp or chew
12 - 18 months	Filling/emptying boxes or wastebaskets of small objects; rummaging through toy pots and pans; emptying plastic bottles filled with water; pushing and pulling wheeled toys (especially those that make sounds); low bench to climb on/over; sand toys
18 - 24 months	Imitating the games of other older children and parents’ activities like use of telephone/performing household chores; chanting and singing nursery rhymes; listening to music from the radio/CD; children’s peg board and mallet; water play; indoor and outdoor swings
2 - 3 years	Large stuffed animals and cushions; crayons or paint and brush on large paper; large blocks or cartons for make believe play; bubble blowing; beads and plastic string, simple 6-8 piece puzzles
3 - 4 years	A tea party (especially if child is host); visiting other people; dressing up; simple riddles and guessing games; trains; trucks; boats; planes; musical instruments; inflated balls; dolls
4 - 5 years	Doing somersaults, simple dance routines and action games; hammering; swing; slide; tricycle; sled; wagon; painting; pasting, sorting and matching; finger puppets; making up own stories and rhymes; caring for small pets (bird, fish and terrapin)
5 - 6 years	Running errands which involve memory and calculating skills; toys which help to duplicate the work of parents; simple picture/ letter/number games; 8-12 piece puzzles; swing; climbing bars; caring for small pets

Remember that play involving young children must be supervised at all times.
The recommended toys and games are by no means exhaustive; parents and caregivers are encouraged to discover other activities that they can do with their children that will stimulate young minds and also have fun doing them together.
Play nurtures of the developmental needs of children while they continue to grow and explore the world.

Should you have any comments or concerns about playing with children, please contact us at comment@livingeffectively.com