

The place of play in child development: suggestions for activities at any age
01 December, 2023
As a parent or professional working with children, understanding their limits and their progress at each of the different stages of development helps us to understand their behaviors, their frustrations, their rigidities, their pride... and above all, helps to guide us as to what activities we offer them since, of course, a child develops mainly through play.
Of 0 to 2 years: Discovery through the senses
Piaget argues that a toddler learns to develop his understanding of what is happening around him through his senses and motor skills. To help a baby understand his environment, we therefore stimulate his senses and let him move!
Here are some ideas for activities to offer them:
From 0 to 2 months, babies are not very open to the world and they are still very focused on their own body and its sensations. So, to stimulate them, you can show them high-contrast images (black shapes on a white background), move them in front of their face, have them observe lights on the wall (with a flashlight), have them listen to all kinds of music (play different styles, different instruments, different tones: everything can be found on the Internet!), touch them with different textures (flatter their cheeks, hands, feet, arms, etc. with soft blankets, towels, feathers, your hands, etc.).
From 2 to 4 months, babies begin to open up more to their environment , so you can look at books with them (show them the pictures, read them the story), sing them songs, hold out different objects for them to grab.
From 4 to 8 months, babies become increasingly interested in the results their actions produce , such as touching buttons on a toy that makes noise. You can resume reading and singing activities, but also offer them materials that make noise and that react to manipulation by making sounds or lights, for example.
From 8 to 12 months, babies' behavior becomes deliberate and they can now predict events , for example by knowing the outcome of an action such as making noise with objects. You can offer them objects to bang and throw, whether they are toys or household objects such as dishes and bowls (non-breakable).
From 12 to 18 months, babies try to explore all possible manipulations of an object . They will want to throw it, hit it, hide it, bite it, etc. Offer them tubs filled with water with containers to fill and empty, textures to feel like modeling clay, sand or soap foam. Let them manipulate the objects as they wish.
From 18 to 24 months, babies begin to develop their symbolic function, which allows them to mentally represent objects or situations . For example, they will be able to tell you the sound a cat makes without seeing the image of a cat or that we help them find the answer, because they are able to create the mental image of the animal themselves. We can play with them to imitate the different sounds (of animals, means of transport, etc.) and offer them simple puzzles and shapes to fit together in order to develop their cause and effect links.
Obviously, at all times, it is recommended to talk to baby , tell him stories, interact with him and stimulate his language within the different activities that we offer him!
From 2 to 6 years old: Symbolic thinking
A concept that defines this period well is Intellectual egocentrism: A child can only understand the world from his point of view. The best example to illustrate this concept is that of a toddler who plays hide-and-seek and who “hides” in the middle of the living room, closing his eyes. For him, “if I don’t see myself, no one sees me”! Although limited by his egocentrism, the child of this age is now capable of symbolic thought, which means that he can form mental images of situations or objects. Thus, he is now able to reproduce behaviors, which leaves room for this interest in the game of make-believe.
Since they love role-playing, they will love to recreate situations, especially those they observe you experiencing on a daily basis!
Here are some ideas. Involve them in tasks such as sweeping, mopping, tidying up, etc., by pretending to be a man or woman who cleans, or give them small roles in preparing meals (such as mixing a cake or cutting certain foods with a safe utensil). Place various objects on a table, give them a bag and some pieces of paper or old cards (to make bank notes or credit cards), and go “shopping.” Hide objects and invite them to find them using simple clues. Provide them with notebooks, pencils, various papers, and maybe even a laptop made from cardboard so they can pretend to go to school or work. Use their interests to introduce them to roles to play. If you also have costumes to offer them, some children will love it!
From 6 to 12 years old: Concrete thinking
At this age, the child evolves a lot cognitively and since he goes to school, he can consolidate several learnings. The child understands his environment much better when it is concrete . Anything that is more abstract is therefore less easy to grasp, especially for the youngest. For example, mathematics and numbers are something abstract, on the other hand if we put them in context with elements that they know (like drawings on a calculation exercise), it is easier. Children still like role-playing games, but will like it even more if the game is closer to reality and "is credible".
Here are some ideas. Offer to make a film (if you have the necessary equipment) by guiding them through the different steps: writing the script, shooting the scenes, editing and viewing the final result, or writing a novel, laying it out and illustrating it. Offer to start a business and create their own small business (cleaning, jewelry, art) and support the realization of their project by helping them create a logo, produce their creations and distribute them. Allow them to organize a restaurant for a meal by letting them create the menu, prepare the meals and serve it. Develop a treasure hunt using a detailed plan and puzzles to solve and offer them to create one in turn.
Of course, any art activity (drawing, painting, sculpture, crafts, etc.), any science experiment or any board game adapted to the child's age are options that you can offer to little ones in the preoperational and concrete operational stages according to their interests. Also know that no matter what you do with them, as long as you are available and involved, all facets of their development (physical, cognitive and socio-affective) will be stimulated and will continue to flourish!
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