{"id":1344,"date":"2023-10-16T16:05:40","date_gmt":"2023-10-16T20:05:40","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/playtodevelop.com\/?p=1344"},"modified":"2024-03-03T13:22:12","modified_gmt":"2024-03-03T18:22:12","slug":"independent-play","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/playtodevelop.com\/independent-play\/","title":{"rendered":"Why Independent Play Is Vital For Child Development"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
Independent play or playing alone is actually incredibly important for your child’s development. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Unfortunately, in today’s society, parents feel this overwhelming pressure to constantly interact and engage with their children during play.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
I am here to tell you that it is okay and even recommended by experts to let your child play alone. This type of play has some incredible benefits and I hope this article provides you some peace of mind to let your child play and explore freely.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Independent play is commonly referred to as free play or unstructured play.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
It is essentially when a child initiates and directs the play without guidance or intervention from adults. The child is in total control of where, what, and how they want to play without any expectations. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Of course, children should be supervised for safety, but providing them a safe space to play on their own is important for promoting independence. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Here are examples of independent play:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Here is a great list of 17 screen free activities<\/a> to encourage independent play!<\/p>\n\n\n\n More and more research is starting to come out on the importance of unstructured playtime. Since today’s society is filled with organized activities, it is now more important than ever to encourage free play. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Here are 6 amazing benefits of independent play<\/strong> that will help your child thrive both developmentally and academically. <\/p>\n\n\n\n A major research study<\/a> involving over 2,200 Australian children was recently published in ScienceDirect. It studied and analyzed the effects of free play on self-regulation skills in young children. The researchers found that children who engaged in quiet unstructured playtime during their toddler and preschool years had significantly better self-regulation abilities 2 years later compared to those children who did not engage in independent play. <\/p>\n\n\n\n The ability to understand and control one’s behaviors and feelings is a very important life skill. Children who are able to regulate their emotions tend to perform better academically, socially, and in stressful situations. <\/p>\n\n\n\n In 2021 the American Academy of Pediatrics along with the Biden Administration declared adolescent mental health a \u201cnational emergency\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n6 Important Benefits of Independent Play<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
1. Better Self-Regulation Abilities <\/h3>\n\n\n\n
2. Improves Mental Health<\/h3>\n\n\n\n