Routine vs. Rhythm

Playing with a baby is an intuitive and natural desire.  I am sure you have witnessed strangers wanting to interact with a baby they pass.  I have encountered this almost every time I am in line at the grocery store and while I make sure we keep a safe distance I always welcome the sweetness and innocence that my child brings out in others.  I love finding new ways to entertain my child.  It is so fun to see his world expand with each new experience. 

It is natural to want to play with baby for a reason.  It is not just important for their development, it is crucial.  It is nurturing to the bond between the baby and their caregivers. 

Here are a few reasons why play is so important.  This is the science behind the fun. 

1. Cognitive Development

• Play encourages problem solving skills.  Play introduces babies to cause and effect relationships such as dropping their food on the floor, pressing a button that makes a figure pop up, or a toy make noise.
• Play stimulates curiosity. This is how babies learn about their environment and learn about the details, rhythms, and rules to help make sense of the world. 

2. Play Encourages Physical Development

•     Playing helps develop fine and gross motor skills.  This can be using their fingers to pick up food or touch a toy, to kicking in preparation for crawling or rolling.
• Enhances sensory integration. There are a lot of sensations that babies have to get used to and learn to make sense of.  Play helps babies process sensory information

3. Emotional Growth and Development

• Nurtures self-expression. Play allows babies to explore and express their emotions.  Its ok if baby gets frustrated and angry, playing will help them process this feeling.  They will also experience joy and excitement.
• Play builds confidence, safety and security.  When you are playing, there is no stigma of failure because you are simply playing.  A safe and secure environment that allows exploration will build baby's confidence. 

4. Social skills

• Strengthen bonds. When you share attention with baby, you foster trust and attachment. 
• Interaction dynamics. Playing games with baby like clapping or pointing or waving goodbye teaches them about social cues and encourages interaction. 

5.  Language and Communication Development

• Ok, of course this is my favorite because this is what I am learning about in school.
• New word exposure!!  Playing with baby introduces new words to help them develop language skills through talking, singing, and reading. 
• Listening skills.  Babies learn to pay attention and respond to voices and sounds during interactive play. (Attention is crucial to memory but we will get to that another day)

6.  Creative thinking

• Imagination. Play encourages imaginative and creative thinking
• Experimentation. Playing is a safe space for babies to try new things without the fear of failure. 

Here are a few tips when playing with baby (by the way it doesn't always have to be structured or themed)

1. Be aware of babies developmental stage and follow baby's cue.  Stop when they are done or lose interest so that you can avoid overstimulation. 
2. Be present!!  I think this is so important but shared attention and undivided attention don't just make the interaction more meaningful, its crucial to development and there is research to back this up. 
3. Keep it simple.  You will learn, often times baby's prefer what they see you "playing" with. You don't need all of the fancy, bright,  noisy,  flashy toys.  Simple toys will captivate their attention.  Sometimes a spoon is more of a toy than an entire play kitchen. 

My favorite take-away about playtime, is not about how critical it is for development, but that playtime is safe for exploration, and free of failure.  It is fun for baby,  and should be fun for you too!