Why Is Play So Important In Early Education?

There are numerous benefits to play during early education, in fact, there are so many that you may be surprised to learn just how important play actually is for a young child’s development. Playing is essential to a child’s growth and to help you understand just how important, here are just a few benefits:

Enhance Brain Development

Would you be surprised to learn that playing can actually help a child’s brain development in more ways than one. Playing not only helps provide crucial life experience to aid in brain growth but neuroscientists have also shown that enrichment such as games and toys can alter the brain’s chemistry and physiology in a positive manner, helping with higher cognitive processing.

Encourage Creative Thinking

Playing can increase a child’s creativity hugely. It allows for divergent thinking and allows children to explore different possible options and outcomes to situations, typically allowing them to generate creative ideas.

Improve Vocabulary & Language

The link between play and communication skills down the line have been strongly linked in numerous studies, showing that play could help develop language skills, whether that was play between a toddler and mother or play between infant children and their peers. Pretend play such as role play is said to be of particular benefit as it allows children to really practice their vocabulary when they try to understand others.

Improve Socialisation Skills

Play isn’t just of importance when it comes to cognitive and physical development but it can also help improve a child’s socialisation skills too, whether it’s teaching them patience, how to share space and toys or simply how to interact with other children in an acceptable manner.

Better Physical Strength & Coordination

With the help of playground equipment, from climbing frames to simple bridges, play amongst this type of equipment can help improve physical strength and coordination, giving children the chance to work on their motor skills.

Better Mental Health

Playing can actually promote emotional regulation, allowing children to learn more about their emotions and how best to deal with them. Play also allows little ones to blow off steam because believe it or not, even children in Early Years Foundation Stage settings can have very rigid schedules.

Contact Us Today

Play isn’t just a series of nice moments for a child, it can provide some of the most crucial learning moments at a very important stage in a child’s life. With the right playground equipment, your pre-school setting could be a better learning environment than you realise. If you’d like more information on playground equipment for your early years setting, contact our team today on 01702 804198. Our team will be only too happy to help you choose the right equipment for you.