Play is essential for the development of your children’s brain. It is a very powerful way of learning and best of all it is fun!

In this climate of SATs and constant assessments it is easy to lose sight of what is important, and what is best to help our children develop into happy and well-balanced human beings.

Learning through play may look too informal and with no real ‘hard’ outcomes, when it is actually a most effective way for children to enjoy an activity and therefore build connections in the brain.

Some of the skills your children will acquire through play are: Learning to share, empathy, the ability to enjoy their own company, they will fine tune their gross motor skills (running, jumping and walking) and fine motor skills (picking things up with their finger and thumb) as well as this play allows their imagination to develop.

The play I am referring to does not involve tablets, phones or screens, though it does involve getting messy and creating mess sometimes.

Simple ways to play are role play, dressing up in clothes and jewellery, using different voices when reading together, digging the garden, washing up, playing with salt dough, stacking toilet rolls up even, then knocking them down again!

It was George Bernard Shaw who said: “We don’t stop playing because we grow old, we grow old because we stop playing.”

Find your inner child and start playing again….you will be amazed at how good it makes you feel.

Next Week: 10 top activities to do with your toddler that cost nothing or no more than a £1.

See:wwwparentandbabycoach.co.uk