In our previous blog post, we shared 3 important benefits to child-led play and today we’re going over even more!

Amazing benefits of child-led free play (part 2)

1. Builds resilience

Play isn’t something random that children do. Children play in ways that are meaningful to them. When reaching a goal during play, children might come across challenges or setbacks and this is where they get to try and try again when these situations arise because they are internally motivated to reach their goal. May it be building a structure in their mind using blocks or trying to draw a picture that looks exactly like Fifi her pet dog, these are all opportunities for resilience building when we allow them the opportunity to struggle.

2. Promotes healthy risk-taking and confidence

When allowed to move their bodies in autonomous ways in play, children learn about their bodies and how it works better. Contrary to common belief, allowing children to take risks during play (like climbing high or balancing on thin beams) will develop a more sophisticated sense of safety as they’ve had practice navigating these situations. Hence, they are likely to be more confident in themselves and be willing to take more risks.

3. Unleashes creativity

When playing with toys that are passive and open-ended, children often show us how creative they can be by playing in a variety of different ways. Take some bottle caps for example, they can be used in art, made to be pretend stones on roads or used as counters for patterning and counting. Opportunities for imagination and creativity are endless if children play according to their interests.

So there you go! Why not make some time for your child today to just play and enjoy what comes from it.