Learning While Laughing

Understand the Value of Play

By Kelly Burgess

It's a good thing toddlers don't realize how hard they work or they'd need an extra nap. Although adults look at them and see the carefree play of babyhood, their play is anything but mindless. Every minute of every toddler's day (except maybe during that nap) they're learning skills that will help them with reading, speaking, socializing and, in general, adapting successfully to this big, varied world.

"Adults tend to think of play as a recreational activity or something that is extracurricular – the thing that we forgo if we have work to do," says Jane Kostelc, child development specialist with Parents as Teachers. "But for toddlers, play is their work."

Take something as simple as coloring, Kostelc says. While toddlers make marks on the paper, they're also practicing three important things: social development, motor development and cause and effect. Here's how:

• Motor development: Coloring is a resistance activity. Toddlers use their whole arm while coloring, which helps them develop the shoulder girdle. This provides the stability to eventually make letters and, later, to use the computer.
• Cause and effect: The sensory feedback they receive from coloring helps them develop both fine and gross motor skills. They feel the roughness of the paper through the crayons and learn about different textures from using different media. Plus, just the simple act of making a mark on a formerly blank surface teaches them that they can change their environment.
• Social development: It's a good thing for parents to color alongside their child and give simple input such as, "I used red; you used red." In addition to the social interaction, parents are modeling how to sit and be creative, and the child feels that creativity is supported.

As if that's not enough learning, Kostelc says that coloring is vital for pre-literacy skill development. "It's the cognitive part of writing – what is the right side of the paper; what's the wrong side?" Kostelc says. "You'll see kids start to do pretend writing and go left to right. This prepares them for seeing letters going across the line and knowing what writing is."

Want to see more?

• Check out our Article Library.
• For the Fun of It: Loving, Chasing and Playing with Toddlers
• From Baby to Preschool Play: The Wonderful World of Child's Play as They Grow
• Once Upon a Time...: The Importance of Pretend Play
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