If you ask any child what they want to do all day, the answer will be “Play games!” Playing is one of the most favorite activities that all children love. And you don’t even have to shower them with expensive toys and video games to get them to play. Children are very imaginative and creative little beings, they can even invent a game of their own and keep themselves entertained. But all parents are plagued by a question, “Is all that playing really necessary? Shouldn’t they be involved in lessons to help them learn?”
Yes, playing games is a very important part of the child’s growing years. And, along with being loads of fun, games are also great mediums of learning for children. From their early physical and mental development to basic life skills, games for kids help children learn several things. From fine and gross motor skills, teamwork, sharing, literacy to confidence, playing games teaches children some very essential life skills.
Little children today are forced to grow quickly and face too much anxiety, pressure and competition. This hampers the child’s cognitive, physical, social, and emotional development. It also leads to depression, obesity and several other problems that harm the child. But playing games helps them destress and enjoy themselves, which is essential for their well-being. This makes for a happy, healthy and well-rounded childhood.
5 Reasons You Should Make Your Kids Play Games
Playing games is very beneficial for little children. Here are 5 reasons why you should include games in your child’s daily life.
- Physical Fitness: Kids get to move around, run, jump, hop, skip etc., when they’re playing. As they do all this, it builds their stamina and physical fitness. This helps them develop a healthy body and mind. Additionally, it also boosts their strength, and fine and gross motor skills. Playing games also helps them destress, just be a kid and enjoy themselves. This is essential to develop a sound mind. So, along with physical fitness, it also develops the child’s mind.
- Learning and language skills: Games are not only fun, but they are educational too. Since children love playing games, parents and educators can modify lessons to include games to make lessons more enjoyable. For example, using games to teach math and language can boost the child’s math skills and fluency in language. This helps keep children engaged in their lessons and also helps them learn better. Additionally, children learn basic life skills through games too. It boosts their creativity, imagination, logical reasoning, critical thinking and language fluency.
- Entertainment: Kids are very energetic and tend to get bored easily. An energetic child cooped indoors is a surefire recipe for disaster. But involving the child in fun games like indoor games for kids helps expend some of that energy. Additionally, it keeps them entertained and happy for hours. A happy child is less likely to throw tantrums or make trouble.
- Self esteem and patience: Along with keeping children fit and happy, it also teaches them some important life skills. As they play, it improves their confidence and self-esteem. It also helps them learn to try out new things, and try harder when they don’t succeed at first. They learn patience and resilience, which are essential skills that you need to succeed in life.
- Social skills: One of the most important things that kids learn while they play with others is social skills. They learn how to make friends, how to share and communicate with each other. They also learn to discuss, negotiate, resolve conflicts and solve problems on their own. They learn to work as a team and develop leadership skills, which also helps them develop to their full potential.
Playing games and enjoying themselves is every child’s birthright. In fact, it’s a rite of passage from childhood to adulthood, which every child needs to experience and enjoy.
