What My Son Taught Me About the Importance of Play

I have fond memories of my early childhood in Jamaica. A lot of those memories involve playing - my cousins and I would spend hours outdoors playing. At times we went wading in the river close to our house; ran around in our big yard outside or played a variety of games with some toy we invented. We laughed, we debated the rules of our games, often making them up as we went along, sometimes we cried - a skinned knee will do that to you, but all in all we had fun.

As my son grows, I’m reminded of those memories when he walks over to me, taps me on the leg, and says, “mommy play.” As I join him on the floor building blocks or outside splashing on the sprinkler mat, I’m brought back to a simpler time and revel in the fact that I can be present with my son as we play. It wasn’t until I was pregnant with my son that I learned about the importance of play. As I devoured parenting books and learned about different methods of learning, I learned that play provides a lot of benefits for children: brain development and cognitive skills; cognitive development, emotional strength, and other factors. As a result, I encourage active play as much as possible, because, like many parents, I want to do what’s best for my little guy.

Did you know that play also benefits adults? Play improves our overall well-being and reduces stress. How is that for a win-win for you and your child(ren)? As someone who is very goal and achievement and goal-oriented, my son is teaching me to leave more time to play and to enjoy my family. Play is good for you, it adds joy to your life, and create memorable moments. Make time to play!

Cheers,
Nika