Different Types of Play

Physical, Energetic Play

This helps a child to learn how to control his body and co-ordinate his actions, for example, in climbing up and down and around playground equipment, up trees and over rocks; throwing, catching and kicking balls; roly-polying down grassy slopes. Watch your child and you will discover many more of these types of activities.

Experimental Play

In one sense all play is an experiment for young children - they are testing their powers, finding out what can and cannot be done. But particular kinds of play can lead to more discoveries than other types, for example, putting objects into containers, stacking different sized and shaped objects and sorting shapes. By watching what they are doing and talking to them you can help children to find the right words to describe their discoveries.

Creative Play

There is great joy and triumph to be had from making something all by yourself when you are very young. Household `junk' such as empty margarine tubs, the inside of toilet rolls and polystyrene food trays can be used for gluing and sticking. Under-fives will need help, but resist the temptation to take over - the end result is always a masterpiece, whatever it actually looks like.

Fantasy Play

Acting out with friends, or with toys, things that happen in their lives, helps children to make sense of the world around them. Children everywhere play at schools, shopping, mummies and daddies, hospitals, babies and making houses, and the subject matter of these games has not changed since parents themselves were young because this is the stuff of life. Fantasy and pretend games can also be flights of pure imagination - witches and wizards, flying fairies or underwater fish. Children also play imaginative and fantasy games in miniature - setting out farmyards, dolls' houses, Legolands, and so on.

Messy Play

A session spent playing with playdough, sand, water, or some other substance helps young children to explore the properties of many different materials and to discover, experiment with and sometimes create things. It can also have a very soothing and calming effect on them when they are over-excited. Having a second, younger child who wants to join in but who needs much more supervision can often make organising this more difficult. One solution is to try to pick a time when you can give your full attention to supervising and put a time limit on the whole affair so that you do not lose patience.

Playing with Friends

This teaches children how to co-operate, to develop social skills and also to have a sense of fair play. They learn how to make friends again after a disagreement, to keep rules, and also to develop a sense of humour.