Children learn and develop through different types of play.
Physical play
Physical play helps your child build muscles and bones, and improve physical skills.
Encourage your child to move as much as possible. Playing outdoors gives your child space to move, run, jump and climb.
Activities that help gross motor skills
Gross motor skills are the movements that use the large muscles in the body, such as the arms, legs, and torso.
Activities to help improve gross motor skills, balance and coordination include:
- cycling
- skipping or hopping
- obstacle courses
- dancing
- chasing games
- playground visits
Activities that help fine motor skills
Fine motor skills are the movements that use the small muscles, especially in the hands and fingers.
Activities to help fine motor skills include:
- playdough
- threading
- jigsaw puzzles
- drawing
Tummy time
For babies, tummy time also helps to develop physical skills.
Tummy time means placing your baby on their tummy while they are awake. It helps your baby build strong muscles so they can roll, sit and crawl.
Social play
By playing with others, children learn how to take turns, cooperate and share. Social play also helps children to develop their language skills.
You can encourage social play by taking your child to playgrounds or parent and toddler groups.
Constructive play
Constructive play is where children experiment with drawing, music and building things.
Constructive play helps children to:
- develop movement skills and become less clumsy
- understand distance and size - for example, if objects are small or far away
Encourage your child to do arts and crafts and play with building blocks.
Let your child solve problems for themselves during constructive play. Letting them solve problems is better than trying to show them the right way to do something.
Imaginative play
Using imagination during play is good for your child’s communication skills. It is good for them to create their own games.
You can encourage your child to develop their imagination by giving them props. Props could be things such as a whisk and bowl if they are pretending to be a baker.
Dress-up costumes also encourage imaginative play.
Games with rules
Games with rules can teach children about fairness.
You can play simple games such as Simon Says or Duck Duck Goose with younger children.
Playing board games is a fun family activity to help teach children about rules.
Play activities for children between 12 to 24 months - zerotothree.org