Why Play is So Important for Your Family
Play is an essential part of life. This is how we learn new things, engage socially and have fun! But too many families forget that they can play together and spend all their time in functional relationships. If you want to engage your kids and build strong relationships then play is definitely for you.
Scheduling play into your routine is important at any age. Even if your kids have already grown up and flown the nest, playing games when you get together is a lovely way to rekindle your connections. Playing is something we should all do throughout our lives, so, what sort of games should you play with your family?
Encourage Friendly Competition
A bit of friendly competition is always helpful and will give your kid a chance to learn that life just isn’t fair. Whether you are a fan of board games or computer games, playing together will give you a sense of team cohesion and develop your bonds. If you need an excuse to tell your wife for checking out classic arcade games for sale, this is a brilliant route to take!
Friendly competition is also a good way to give children a chance to show their independence and ability. For example, you could have a competition to see who can tidy their room fastest, giving your kids an excellent motivation to do something they don’t always want to do! Competition also shows your kids that while they might not be the best at everything, they can work hard and get better.
Build Social and Emotional
Playing is the perfect environment to practice social skills and bond. Make-believe games are ideal because children can replicate emotions and cultivate their imaginations. Playing role-play games, charades and dressing up are all great ways to build social and emotional skills together and create a safe space for your kids to express themselves.
Younger children will really benefit from playing board games that are often random and don’t really require any skill. These games will help to teach your child to be a good loser and learn to control their temper. By showing that they could win next time will also teach them that life may not be fair but if you keep trying, good things will happen.
Improve Fitness and Fine Motor Skills
Sport is well-known as a brilliant outlet for kids with lots of energy and getting into activities that improve basic fitness early on will set your kids up for a healthy lifestyle later on. Team sports are particularly good as they offer your kids a chance to socialize with other children their age and make new friendships.
Most sports offer an opportunity to develop motor skills as well as balance, stamina and flexibility. These skills are best built from a young age as they are easier to maintain throughout life if you don’t let them lapse! Getting into sports with your kids will do you a lot of good as well as them and will give you some good quality time together.