Does child’s play really do anything for kids? It sounds like a waste of time.
This question is not uncommon and has hurt our society in the long run. Thankfully the field of psychotherapy has shed light on how critical play is. It has helped strengthen the argument on why play is fundamental to healthy and successful adults. A great example of play is watching kittens. Kittens play around and that may seem pointless to some. Researchers studied the nature of cats and found there was more to the pointless play that the kittens participated in. They found play was critical to the success of cats when it comes to communication and hunting. Kittens need play to grow into healthy adult cats and people are no different when it comes to play.
The field of neuroscience has also helped to support the critical role of early childhood development in the context of attachment and the importance of the mind and body connection. They are engaging both the emotional - brain stem and limbic system - and the rational – neocortex - parts of the brain when they play. It is important to support them in the ability to play because they are cultivating social and emotional skills that will help them be flexible and adaptive when facing life’s challenges.