When is the last time that you got down on the floor and played face to face with your young kids?
Whether it is making puzzles, driving around toy cars, building with Legos or simply playing make-believe, sitting on the floor and playing is a crucial part of your child’s development. Instead of plunking your child down in front of the television, letting them have free-play time will be beneficial to them in a some ways.
Playing is one of the most important things you can do to encourage your child’s development. Spending time with them to play games will help them to feel loved, develop social skills, practice communication, build confidence and develop physical skills. You will be helping them to improve their ability to express ideas and feelings as well as enjoying a wonderful close bonding moment with them.
Sometimes your child will want to play by themselves, but other times they will love to have you involved. They will include you in the imaginative games they make up and they will happily tell you all the stories behind their toys and the pretend world those toys live in.
Why play on the floor instead of sitting at a table? There are many reasons why children prefer to play on the floor, such as:
• They are more in control of their bodies, and not being perched on a tall chair.
• They also don’t have to worry about their toys falling off the surface they are playing on.
• In the case of infants and young toddlers, being able to roll around on the floor helps them to develop the muscles they need for crawling, sitting up and walking.
• They can spread out their toys to cover a larger surface area, which is important when creating imaginary worlds.
• Surrounding themselves with their toys on the floor helps them to fully immerse themselves in their make believe play.
Floor Playing Especially Important For Kids with Learning Difficulties
When it comes to children with developmental delays, getting down on the floor and playing with them is even more important. Because of their learning difficulties, they might have gaps in their mental growth which could cause them problems in the future when trying to build on their skills.
If you are the parent of a special needs child, you should take every opportunity to get on the floor and become your child’s play therapist. It gives you a chance to redirect their anti-social behaviours, help them build their language skills and improve their problem solving ability. The time you spend playing with your child could be incredibly beneficial in their development.
How to Set Up a Playing Environment
In order to encourage more imaginative play in your child’s life, you can set up an environment within the home which is conducive to playing on the floor. Designate a room or the corner of a room where your kids won’t be in the way and any toys on the floor won’t be a tripping hazard.
The play area should have carpet, which is much more comfortable than playing on hardwood or tile. Make sure that you keep the carpet clean by vacuuming and hiring regular carpet cleaning services, as playing on a dirty and dusty carpet can aggravate allergies.
Set up a few storage drawers and containers, filled with your child’s toys. The more well organised the play area is, the easier it will be to get your kids to clean up after themselves.
Once you have set up the play area, get down there on the floor, let your kids choose the activity or imaginary scenario and simply play along!
