It’s widely agreed that play is good for children, but have you thought about what “play” really means? Generally speaking, engaging in play is defined by carrying out an activity for recreation or leisure purposes, not for a practical purpose. Of course, that is not to say children cannot learn something along the way, but the point of play is for them to have fun first and foremost. In this article, we share with you more about the different kinds of play.
SOCIO-DRAMATIC PLAY
This may sound complicated but rest assured that every child will have engaged in socio-dramatic play at some point. It can be something as simple as pretending to be a cashier at a shop or a family at the playground. Socio-dramatic play helps children to learn about different roles in society and the behaviors expected of them in social situations, which will go a long way in helping them in later life.
LOCOMOTOR PLAY
There’s no getting around it: children are active. When they engage in physical activities for the sake of it, or simply because it’s fun, that is locomotor play. Some common examples include chase, tag and simply racing each other. Besides keeping your child physically active, it can also teach them the spirit of friendly competition with their peers.
CREATIVE PLAY AND IMAGINATIVE PLAY
There is a small difference between creative and imaginative play, although the terms are often used interchangeably. Creative play refers to scenarios where children act out something unlikely to happen at that point in time, such as flying a plane. On the other hand, imaginative play refers to scenarios where children pretend to be something that’s physically impossible, such as a dragon. Both encourage creativity and imagination, helping children to build their storytelling and real world skills.
OTHER TYPES OF PLAY
Besides the few main types listed above, there are many other types of play children can engage in. They include:
- Symbolic play, where a child gives an everyday object a new use, such as pretending a broom is a walking stick.
- Social play is a more generic term that applies to any type of play where all participants have to abide by a common set of rules.
- Although role play is similar to socio-dramatic play, there does not need to be a social scenario or “backstory” behind it. Something as simple as pretending to use a phone can count as role playing.
BUY TOYS FOR DIFFERENT KINDS OF PLAY AT KIDPOWERED
Are you looking for toys that will encourage your child to engage in different kinds of play? If so, look no further than KidPowered for all your needs. We stock a wide variety of early learning toys from many well-known brands and you are sure to find something that is age-appropriate and of interest to your child. We believe that children learn best through play and to this end, you can be sure to find a wide range of toys that will be of benefit to your child when you shop with us.