TLC Family Resource Center
  • Home
  • DONATE NOW
  • Programs
    • Parents and Caregivers >
      • Family Support Services
      • Community Visiting Nurse
      • Circle of Security Program
      • Lactation Support
      • Child/Parent Psychotherapy
      • Growing Great Kids
      • Watch Me Grow
      • VRoOm
    • Family Resource Guide
    • The Rocking Chair Project
    • Rural Outright
    • SHINE
    • The Center for Recovery Resources >
      • Recovery Day
      • Photos of The Center
      • About The Center
  • Professionals
  • Events
    • Current Events
    • Calendar of Events
    • Event Photos
    • Past Events >
      • 25th Anniversary Celebration
      • CLiF Storytime
      • On the Move
      • Rural PRIDE
      • Screenagers
      • The Center Open House
  • About
    • About Us
    • Our Core Belief
    • Introduction Video
    • Staff
    • Board of Directors
    • Towns We Serve
    • Donations >
      • Benefits of Donating
      • Crafting for a Cause
    • Employment Opportunities
    • In the News
    • Publications
    • Outreach
    • Facility Use
    • Volunteers
  • Contact
    • Location and Directions
  • Blogs
    • Zero to Three Poster Additional Information
    • TLC News and Events
    • SHINE Blog
    • Incidentals of Parenting
    • Volunteer Blog
  • Home
  • DONATE NOW
  • Programs
    • Parents and Caregivers >
      • Family Support Services
      • Community Visiting Nurse
      • Circle of Security Program
      • Lactation Support
      • Child/Parent Psychotherapy
      • Growing Great Kids
      • Watch Me Grow
      • VRoOm
    • Family Resource Guide
    • The Rocking Chair Project
    • Rural Outright
    • SHINE
    • The Center for Recovery Resources >
      • Recovery Day
      • Photos of The Center
      • About The Center
  • Professionals
  • Events
    • Current Events
    • Calendar of Events
    • Event Photos
    • Past Events >
      • 25th Anniversary Celebration
      • CLiF Storytime
      • On the Move
      • Rural PRIDE
      • Screenagers
      • The Center Open House
  • About
    • About Us
    • Our Core Belief
    • Introduction Video
    • Staff
    • Board of Directors
    • Towns We Serve
    • Donations >
      • Benefits of Donating
      • Crafting for a Cause
    • Employment Opportunities
    • In the News
    • Publications
    • Outreach
    • Facility Use
    • Volunteers
  • Contact
    • Location and Directions
  • Blogs
    • Zero to Three Poster Additional Information
    • TLC News and Events
    • SHINE Blog
    • Incidentals of Parenting
    • Volunteer Blog

Make time for play

4/1/2018

0 Comments

 
Picture
By Neil Allen
​
Play time is serious time for a child. This is time they need to thrive. Research has shown that with just an hour of play every day, a child, regardless of age, will be healthier, ready to learn, learn skills like problem solving and sharing, use their imaginations, and have a reduction in stress. It doesn't have to be done all at one time, it can be broken up into chunks of time during the day, but it should be part of your planning for the day.

Play time doesn't necessarily mean running around being active. It is time when they can either be active with their bodies or their minds, or both. It is time when they're not actively engaged in learning or having to be quiet. It allows them to expend energies and build social skills.

Ways to play outside
There are so many ways for kids to play outside. The play can be structured or kids can be left to their own imaginations.

When kids are outside for structured play time they can run around playing games like tag or hide-and-seek. If there's a big enough group, you can play games like Red Rover or Mother May I? They can use playground equipment, kick a ball around the field, ride a bike or a skateboard, play hopscotch, jump rope, or play Four Square.

For unstructured play, kids can use just about anything that encourages them to use their imagination like playing in a sandbox, using ride-on vehicles, tree houses, etc. Make sure you have lots of equipment available to them in sandboxes to build sandcastles or other types of sand sculptures and vehicles to move around on sandy highways or to do the moving of sand. In the tree house, have household things like a plastic kitchen set, plastic food and dishes, a table, dolls and doll furniture, etc. This is when a child can explore the world in their own way and learn skills and knowledge that will last their whole life.

Ways to play inside
Rainy, cold, and snowy days can be challenging for play time and calls for a bit more creativity but it is do-able. Unstructured play is much easier inside but structured play is possible, too.

For structured play, you could have the students put on a parade using the materials in the dress-up box to make costumes then march around the room playing real or pretend instruments. Depending on the size of the play space, hide-and-seek is another great indoor game. Board or card games are good for helping to learn math and reading skills and potentially teamwork. They are good for learning how to be competitive and a good sport at the same time.

For unstructured play, you can have dolls and doll furniture, building blocks, small cars and other vehicles, puzzles, arts and crafts material, etc. The list is really endless. Anything that can be used to allow them to use their imaginations without interference from an adult.

0 Comments



Leave a Reply.

    Archives

    May 2018
    April 2018

    Categories

    All
    10 Minute Workouts
    Desk
    Exercise
    Fitness
    Mental Health

    RSS Feed

​You will need a PDF viewer to read many of the files on our site. You can download Adobe Reader for desktop computers here.
​Visit the app store for your smartphone or tablet to download a PDF viewer.

HOURS:
Monday-Friday, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Home
About
Contact

Picture
At TLC Family Resource Center we support and strengthen all families, children, and youth in Sullivan and Lower Grafton counties with a wide
​range of free programs, support groups, education, and events.


Media Contact: info@tlcfamilyrc.org

Picture
109 Pleasant Street
PO Box 1098
Claremont, NH 03743
603-542-1848 | Fax: 603-542-1846


Copyright © 2015-2019 by TLC Family Resource Center
All rights reserved. If you have any problems on the site, please email here.