Unlike the popular idea that play is the opposite of learning, the reality is, play is the most crucial step in the process of learning. Play allows children to improve their communication skills through learning more words and practicing their skills. Not only does play benefit linguistic abilities, but it also teaches children problem solving skills, empathy, how to regulate their emotions, and it improves their IQ.
While playing, children learn the name of objects, verbs, and how to describe them. When children start to socialize and play with others (around the age of 2), they start to practice their language skills and learn from their peers. Through play, your child will improve his listening skills and learn how to follow instructions.
To add to that, communicating through language requires skills such as imagery, thinking skills, and representational skills. Children must learn how to communicate through symbols, and symbolic play teaches that exactly (Creaghe et al., 2021). To elaborate, in play, a child can use a banana to represent a phone. Similarly, in language, a child uses words to represent items. A study conducted on the association between language delay and symbolic play found that children with language delays had poorer symbolic play abilities (Terrell et al., 1984).
Make sure that you and your child makes up the most out of playing! This is crucial as the process of playing is important for a child’s social, cognitive, emotional, and physical health.
