How to teach a child to play independently
The importance of play in a child’s life cannot be overestimated. It is through play that the baby receives most of the information important for later life.
But most parents have no idea that play is a very complex activity that also needs to be taught.
What is a child's play at an early age?
Parents can notice the very first manifestations of play in their baby by the age of two. But you can’t call this a game yet. The baby begins to replace one object with another (for example, a cube can turn into a bun for a toy puppy, and sand can replace porridge in a doll’s plate). The whole game comes down to performing one action: cooking, feeding, laying down, etc.
What is required from parents at this stage?
Adults should support the baby's interest in other children's games
Children at this age do not yet know how to play together, they just sit side by side, each playing with their own toy, which is absolutely normal for this age. But parents should not sit idly by during this period. The task of adults is to form and maintain their child’s interest in the games of other children. Bring your baby to the playing child, tell him that he is playing and you shouldn’t interfere, but you can help (for example, lend your toy for a while). This way the baby will gain experience that will be useful in more complex games.
Do not insist that your child follow the sequence of actions.
When a child of this age plays, his actions are scattered. There is no talk of consistency yet either. First he can feed the doll “ice cream”, and only then there will be “cutlets”. Yes, for the baby it doesn’t matter at all. Adults should not demand consistency from a child in performing actions. He is not yet up to this task. As for parents, they should be shown how individual actions are performed. Then the baby will cope on his own.
Don't worry if your child plays a lot
For some parents, the reason for worry is the fact that the baby plays too much and lives in an unreal world that he invented himself. Everyone understands the fears of these parents. They are worried about the future. But there is no need to sound the alarm ahead of time. Take a closer look at your baby's play and you will understand that he is logical and does not escape reality. If in doubt, you can check. Place two cubes: one larger and the other smaller. Invite your child to choose which cube will replace the mother and which will replace the child. He will make the right choice: big - mother, small - child. As you can see, everything is completely consistent with reality.
Parents should only think about it in cases where:
- the child is very keen on the monotonous game;
- acts illogically and is not guided by surrounding impressions (remember the example with the cubes).
What changes occur in a child’s play at the age of 3-4 years?
A child of this age moves to the next stage of play development. Now he becomes interested in relationships between people. Communication comes to the fore. The hairdresser not only cuts the client’s hair, but also talks to him and discusses his hairstyle; the seller not only sells the product, but also helps to choose it (in other words, they enter into a relationship).
The emergence of the role-playing game
This is already the beginning of a role-playing game. The help of an adult will certainly be needed here. Now it is important for the baby not just to perform some action, but to play an entire role. This is where the help of an adult is needed.
Watch the game carefully and intervene if the chain of actions is broken. The child must now strictly adhere to the required sequence: first he cooked, and only then he fed, but not vice versa. Adults should be attentive and tell the child the correct course of events.
Story game develops
If there is a role, then there must be a plot. This is how story games emerge. Of course, the simplest stories will come first. This is everyday life: walking, feeding, bathing, dressing, etc. As you grow older, the content of the game becomes more complex. Now children enthusiastically play in the hospital, construction site, kindergarten. Added to this are games with socio-political content: war, space.
Parents should help develop the plot. It won't be difficult. Your task will be to observe: how he plays, what he plays, how things are going with the plots.
If you see that the game is not entirely complete, be sure to help your child. Discuss the features of the profession that the child plays; look at illustrations or films on this topic. It is advisable to combine several plots. For example, such an extensive plot as a journey may include smaller ones: a walk around the city, a visit to a farm, a train ride, etc. Don’t be shy, play with your child - and the game will bring pleasure and benefit not only to him.
Pay attention to one more point: how the child’s relationships with peers develop during the game. If you see that not everything is going smoothly, then find the reason and play with him at home. It may be necessary to explain how to choose the right story and assign roles; It wouldn’t hurt to talk about the rules of behavior, etc. This is all very individual. It is not difficult for an adult to find a mistake that prevents a child from playing in a group.
What games are typical for children aged 5-6 years
The next step in the development of the game is playing with rules. These are hide and seek, tag, knockout, etc. Games of this level prepare the child for school. The requirements that must be met during the game set the future student up for educational activities. Think for yourself: the ability to correctly evaluate your actions, self-control, self-control, the ability to obey rules - a complete set of requirements for successful study.
P.S. Confidently move forward with your child, but under no circumstances push him: for the next stage of development, nature has allocated its own time for everyone. By skipping the next step, you deprive the child of part of the knowledge on which the success of his further development depends.
