C’mon Let’s Play! Cheryl M. Handy, OTR/L, ITDS, SIPT
All the benefits of play cannot be captured in
a single article therefore, I won’t attempt to cover
it all in this publication. Working as a pediatric
occupational therapist for over twenty-five years
I have learned from my clients “If it ain’t fun, I
ain’t doing it!” I realized that I feel the same way
about most of my day to day leisure activities.
I can so well relate to my clients because there
is still a little girl in this gray- haired therapist.
Needless to say, Play has been the driving force
behind my treatment sessions when attempting
to facilitate growth and development in the
clients I treat. Why have I chosen play versus
an authoritarian, pre-scripted type of session?
As Hirsch-Pasek stated, ‘play is a natural state of
childhood.’
Play takes on a different look and form as we
develop and age. This is partly due to our developmental
stages in life, abilities, and disabilities.
No matter what stage you are in, play has been
found to stimulate healthier brain and overall
development. Executive function (being able to
think, plan and execute an activity) is a cognitive
development that is refined during play. Coordination
and integration of both large and small
muscles take place during structured and unstructured
activities. Attention to task is required
for turn taking, following directives and completing
the individual or group task. The co-partner
to play is laughter. Laughter is also therapeutic
in many ways including the release of hormones
that make us feel good. Repetition is the key to
the refinement of novel and more familiar skills.
The likelihood of your child acquiring a sought
after skill is greater if the facilitator uses a means
that is enjoyable and full of laughter.
So many fine and gross motor skills are acquired
during the day-to day-exploration of our
environment. Knowing what makes your child
happy, laugh and engaging is important when
6 www.BrightFeats.com
trying to teach skills such as attending, holding
a spoon, walking, kicking a ball, tying his/her
shoes, etc. These skills are sharpened during play
activities that may seem unrelated to the task at
hand. Such activities ignite splinter skills that
lay the foundation for the acquisition of higher
level skills. Tummy time is so important because
it places the child in a position to use larger
muscles in preparation for crawling. Maintaining
your child in this position for a significant
amount of time is drastically increased while
engaged in a playful activity that makes this time
more enjoyable.
Hopscotch, let’s take a look at this game; one
I often played as a child. The game requires quite
a few skills; waiting your turn (self-regulation),
throwing a stone in the correct block (eye-hand
coordination), hopping on one leg, then two,
then one, then two (sequencing, bilateral coordination,
motor planning and control) and engaging
with a peer (socialization). Family bonding is
wonderfully done through play. This is an opportunity
to learn about each other’s likes, dislikes,
needs, desires as well as provide the necessary
discussions, encouragement and feedback to help
in the overall development of the family.
The quality of skills acquired during play is
immeasurable partially due to the child’s desire
to repeatedly engage. As I previously stated, the
benefits of play cannot be captured in a single
article however, hopefully this article will wet
your whistle to explore how play can improve
your child’s overall development and the family
dynamics.
Call now! POP Kids Gym (Power of Parenting
through Play) www.popthroughplaykidsgym.com
(772) 409-4262, 4118 Okeechobee Road,
Suite 59, Entrance 3, Fort Pierce, FL 34947,
Monday-Friday: 9am-5pm, Saturday: 9am-2pm
/www.BrightFeats.com
/www.popthroughplaykidsgym.com