fb tracking
No Result
View All Result
BellyBelly
  • Home
  • Getting Pregnant
    • Conception
    • Two Week Diaries
  • Pregnancy
    • Pregnancy Articles
    • Pregnancy Week By Week
    • Pregnancy Symptoms
    • Pregnancy Calculator
    • Pregnancy Journals
      • Irene’s Pregnancy Journal
      • Pregnancy Diaries
      • Jovie Birth article
      • Maja Birth article
      • Diary of Ambah article
      • Diary of Belinda article
      • Diary of Rachael article
      • Diary of Sherie
      • Diary of Janelle
      • Diary of Sharon
      • Diary of Lucy
      • Diary of Kathryn
      • Diary of Julie
      • Diary of Kelly
    • Prenatal / Perinatal
    • Sleep
  • Birth
    • Birth Articles
    • Doulas
    • Midwives
  • Mothers
    • Mother Articles
    • Post Natal/Post Partum
  • Baby
    • Baby Articles
    • Baby Week By Week
    • Baby Sleep Articles
    • Star Signs For Baby
  • Breastfeeding
    • Breastfeeding Articles
    • Breastfeeding Week by Week
  • Toddler
  • Child
  • Men/Dads
  • Parenting
  • Health Lifestyle
    • Health
      • General Health
      • Cooking & Recipes
      • Meal Planning
      • Exercise
    • Lifestyle
      • Family Travel
      • Relationships
      • Men/Dads
  • Competitions
    • Competitions
    • Product Reviews
  • Advertise
  • Home
  • Getting Pregnant
    • Conception
    • Two Week Diaries
  • Pregnancy
    • Pregnancy Articles
    • Pregnancy Week By Week
    • Pregnancy Symptoms
    • Pregnancy Calculator
    • Pregnancy Journals
      • Irene’s Pregnancy Journal
      • Pregnancy Diaries
      • Jovie Birth article
      • Maja Birth article
      • Diary of Ambah article
      • Diary of Belinda article
      • Diary of Rachael article
      • Diary of Sherie
      • Diary of Janelle
      • Diary of Sharon
      • Diary of Lucy
      • Diary of Kathryn
      • Diary of Julie
      • Diary of Kelly
    • Prenatal / Perinatal
    • Sleep
  • Birth
    • Birth Articles
    • Doulas
    • Midwives
  • Mothers
    • Mother Articles
    • Post Natal/Post Partum
  • Baby
    • Baby Articles
    • Baby Week By Week
    • Baby Sleep Articles
    • Star Signs For Baby
  • Breastfeeding
    • Breastfeeding Articles
    • Breastfeeding Week by Week
  • Toddler
  • Child
  • Men/Dads
  • Parenting
  • Health Lifestyle
    • Health
      • General Health
      • Cooking & Recipes
      • Meal Planning
      • Exercise
    • Lifestyle
      • Family Travel
      • Relationships
      • Men/Dads
  • Competitions
    • Competitions
    • Product Reviews
  • Advertise
No Result
View All Result
BellyBelly
No Result
View All Result
Home Child

Sick Of The Mess? Why You Should Re-Think Playtime Mess…

Pinky McKay IBCLC
by Pinky McKay IBCLC
Last updated October 23, 2023
Reading Time: 3 min
Sick of the mess

Frustrated and Sick Of The Mess? Why You Should Re-Think Playtime Mess…

James, aged four, came in to ask for his basket of ‘play’ sheets and a bucket of pegs. He was making a cubby by pegging old sheets to the low branches on the tree outside. The neighbourhood children were helping.

Yesterday, the tree was a pirate ship, complete with sails made from the sheets, pegged to higher branches and billowing in the wind as the children rode the high seas upon their ‘deck’ where the branches forked outwards on the tree trunk.

While their creativity and imagination may seem amazing, James and his friends are just doing what comes naturally to small children when they are allowed to play.

If you think play is simply ‘having fun’ or you are bothered by the mess and would prefer your child to be doing something more ‘educational’, perhaps you need to reconsider. According to Dr Kathleen Alfano, psychologist and director of the Fisher Price Research Department in the United States, ‘play develops important social skills and playful children are more likely to be effective learners.’� Dr Alfano says, “Through play, children learn to get along with others, solve problems and handle stressful situations. Play helps develop perceptual motor skills, strength, balance and coordination. It also encourages creativity, which improves emotional intelligence.”

Emotional intelligence, or EQ, has become somewhat of a buzzword in corporate circles where it is a highly valued quality. The basic attributes of emotional intelligence are: awareness of one’s feelings and the ability to control them; emotional resilience and ability to perform consistently; motivation and the drive to achieve results; sensitivity to other’s needs and the ability to change and influence others; decisiveness; integrity and conscientiousness.

Kathleen Alfano says, “Some people who score well in IQ tests are not doing well in life. Some of it may be attributed to low emotional intelligence and creativity. These people don’t know how to handle things when they are not going their way and what it all comes down to is early experiences – and play.”

Your Role

Dr Alfano recommends providing opportunities and encouraging role play by taking children on field trips and reading stories about different people. She advises that language develops through play and this will help with reading. Ruth Wittig, principal of Ghilgai, a Melbourne based Steiner School cautions against the overuse of sophisticated ‘finished’ toys. She says, “Give simple, basic elements for play and you will see the child play imaginatively. He will be creative and develop initiative, courage and confidence: children’s confidence is expressed within play when they act as masters of the situation.”

There are few limits for children’s play apart from safety and age-appropriateness, but according to Dr Alfano we should avoid limiting opportunities by imposing value judgements on where the play is leading. She says, “As carers, it is our role to observe and extend, but there should be no pre-conditions such as which are girls’ toys and which are boys’ toys.

What about violent toys?

On the old perennial that bothers so many parents – violent toys – the research is reassuring: Dr Alfano says, “Research shows that the toy is neutral; it’s what a child takes to play that matters, so it’s important that parents understand what trauma the child is exposed to. If a child is trying to work through something traumatic while playing, it should be talked about.”

It is important that children should not be allowed to act violently towards another person. However aggressive play does have some positive elements, according to Jeffrey Goldstein, Professor of Media and Communication at the University of Utrecht in the Netherlands. Professor Goldstein says, “Aggressive play requires co-operation and helps a child learn limits and self-control.

play requires co-operation and helps a child learn limits and self-control. There is a clear distinction between aggressive play and aggressive behaviour and children instinctively know the difference.”

Aggressive play also allows children to release their boundless energy. This applies especially to boys who need to find positive ways to use it up in non-destructive ways. Professor Goldstein says, “I would be concerned about aggressive play if it was an obsession but if it is part of a range of play, I’d consider it a

So, those ‘pirates’ firing their cannons from the tree are developing courage and confidence and learning to be responsible as they release pent up energy. Best of all, their parents don’t have to feel guilty that they didn’t get around to building a fully finished cubby-house: all that creation from simple sheets and pegs is enhancing our children’s emotional intelligence.

Perhaps the best advice for parents regarding children’s play is to let your child do what they do best, naturally, and to observe your children at play. As Dr Alfano says, “Watch and learn about your child as he plays. Let the play be fanciful!”

Previous Post

12 Questions To Ask An Obstetrician Before Choosing One

Next Post

Surviving the In-Laws After You Have a Baby

Pinky McKay IBCLC

Pinky McKay IBCLC

International Board Certified Lactation Consultant (IBCLC), parenting editor, author, infant massage instructor and mother of five grown up children.

Next Post
Surviving the In Laws After You Have a Baby

Surviving the In-Laws After You Have a Baby

Recommended

breastfeeding twins

Breastfeeding Twins | Who Is Easier Boys Or Girls?

Last updated November 30, 2023
Different Types of Twins

Different Types of Twins | An Amazing Guide To Twins

Last updated November 30, 2023
Ozempic While Breastfeeding

Ozempic While Breastfeeding | Will It Harm Milk Supply?

Last updated November 27, 2023

Trending

Ovulation Pain

Ovulation Pain – 7 Causes Of Pain During Ovulation

Last updated June 27, 2023
early miscarriage

Early Miscarriage – Signs, Symptoms and What To Expect

Last updated July 4, 2023
Car Seat Crying – Tips To Reduce Crying In The Car

Car Seat Crying – 8 Tips To Reduce Crying In The Car

Last updated August 9, 2022

Cooking and Recipes

Chicken recipe

Chicken Recipes | Delicious Apricot Chicken Recipe

Last updated October 11, 2023
Bread Recipe

Homemade Bread Recipe | Simple and Yummy

Last updated July 24, 2023
Stews Casserole & Soup Slow Cooker Recipes

Stews Casserole & Soup Slow Cooker Recipes | 30 Hearty Meals

Last updated June 26, 2023
Australian Enterprise Awards
As seen on homemuse.com.au
Lux Life Award

Belly Belly Logo

We’re passionate about women and men feeling informed, confident and prepared for pregnancy, birth and early parenting.

  • Home
  • Getting Pregnant
    • Conception
    • Two Week Diaries
  • Pregnancy
    • Pregnancy Articles
    • Pregnancy Week By Week
    • Pregnancy Symptoms
    • Pregnancy Calculator
    • Pregnancy Journals
      • Irene’s Pregnancy Journal
      • Pregnancy Diaries
      • Jovie Birth article
      • Maja Birth article
      • Diary of Ambah article
      • Diary of Belinda article
      • Diary of Rachael article
      • Diary of Sherie
      • Diary of Janelle
      • Diary of Sharon
      • Diary of Lucy
      • Diary of Kathryn
      • Diary of Julie
      • Diary of Kelly
    • Prenatal / Perinatal
    • Sleep
  • Birth
    • Birth Articles
    • Doulas
    • Midwives
  • Mothers
    • Mother Articles
    • Post Natal/Post Partum
  • Baby
    • Baby Articles
    • Baby Week By Week
    • Baby Sleep Articles
    • Star Signs For Baby
  • Breastfeeding
    • Breastfeeding Articles
    • Breastfeeding Week by Week
  • Toddler
  • Child
  • Men/Dads
  • Parenting
  • Health Lifestyle
    • Health
      • General Health
      • Cooking & Recipes
      • Meal Planning
      • Exercise
    • Lifestyle
      • Family Travel
      • Relationships
      • Men/Dads
  • Competitions
    • Competitions
    • Product Reviews
  • Advertise
  • Pregnancy Symptoms
  • Pregnancy Week by Week
  • Baby Week by Week

OUR NETWORK

  • Belly Belly Logo
    bellybelly.com.au
  • Around the World Plus Kids
    www.aroundtheworldpluskids.com.au
  • Doula Training
    www.doula-training.com.au
  • About
  • Contact
  • Disclaimer
  • Privacy Policy
  • Advertise

© Copyright 2002–2023 BellyBelly, All Rights Reserved.

No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • Getting Pregnant
    • Conception
    • Two Week Diaries
  • Pregnancy
    • Pregnancy Articles
    • Pregnancy Week By Week
    • Pregnancy Symptoms
    • Pregnancy Calculator
    • Pregnancy Journals
      • Irene’s Pregnancy Journal
      • Pregnancy Diaries
      • Jovie Birth article
      • Maja Birth article
      • Diary of Ambah article
      • Diary of Belinda article
      • Diary of Rachael article
      • Diary of Sherie
      • Diary of Janelle
      • Diary of Sharon
      • Diary of Lucy
      • Diary of Kathryn
      • Diary of Julie
      • Diary of Kelly
    • Prenatal / Perinatal
    • Sleep
  • Birth
    • Birth Articles
    • Doulas
    • Midwives
  • Mothers
    • Mother Articles
    • Post Natal/Post Partum
  • Baby
    • Baby Articles
    • Baby Week By Week
    • Baby Sleep Articles
    • Star Signs For Baby
  • Breastfeeding
    • Breastfeeding Articles
    • Breastfeeding Week by Week
  • Toddler
  • Child
  • Men/Dads
  • Parenting
  • Health Lifestyle
    • Health
      • General Health
      • Cooking & Recipes
      • Meal Planning
      • Exercise
    • Lifestyle
      • Family Travel
      • Relationships
      • Men/Dads
  • Competitions
    • Competitions
    • Product Reviews
  • Advertise

© Copyright 2002–2023 BellyBelly, All Rights Reserved.