The Importance of Play

A study published in the British Medical Journal is reporting that play (psychosocial stimulation) in early childhood significantly helps emotional development in children with stunted growth.

“Researchers found that those who had received the stimulation of play as young children reported significantly less anxiety and depression and higher self-esteem. Their parents also reported that the children had fewer attention problems.”

The researchers concluded that the next challenge is to take this information to develop interventions that can help meet the needs of developmentally-challenged kids. I think it’s interesting in terms of all children.

Maybe next time you’re stuck on the floor playing another round of teddy bear tea party/fight club with your little one, it won’t feel so much like the fifth circle of the inferno but an important part of emotional development…even more important than we realized.

Read the entire article, “Early Play Helps Stunted Children.”