Play With Your Kids And Build a Strong Parent-Child Bond

By

Connie Goldin, MA, MFT ©2011, Mom to Madre

Play is a wonderful way to teach young children important concepts and to help them develop skills. The beauty about playing with your child is that it requires no money, special equipment or training. There are wonderful ways to play with young children that give them great gifts lasting a lifetime.

Spending “special time” with your child, focused on him or her, without other distractions is something kids cherish. It makes your child feel special and important. It establishes the lines of open communication for the later years to come.

Here are some ideas for play that are fun and totally free. All that is required is to let yourself go and let your child lead the way.

Play Make-Believe and Explore Fantasy

Invite your child to a tea party without any props.

Pantomime the entire event-holding your teacups, serving the tea, sipping the yummy drink and eating a delicious cookie.

Sound effects and even slurping are fair game.

Go with the flow. Let your child take you in the direction that he wants to go.

Think of all the vocabulary and manners that can be learned in this fun way.

Having a great time together is the goal.

Be Curious With Your Child

Parents can help a child become curious by encouraging questions, exploration and discussion.

Share your child’s interest in what he or she finds in the yard or on a walk. A dead bug can require a lot of examination!

Encourage your child to touch, smell, and feel different textures.

Try different foods to explore tastes and smells, and even try feeling the food (if it’s not too hot).

Make your home a place where “yes” is heard more often than “no.” This encourages learning to take place naturally, since “yes” invites participation and interest in whatever you’re doing.

Be Active and Imaginative With Your Child

Teach your child how to gallop like a horse through your house.

Pretend to be a cat, dog or crab and walk about on all fours.

Make tents from sheets thrown over chairs.

If your child has a favorite character in a book, pretend to be that character and start a conversation as that character.

Use everyday objects in imaginative ways. For example: use a paper towel tube as a telescope or a kazoo.

Help Your Little One See Beauty In The World

Point out a lovely rock, a beautiful sunset, a tiny insect, or an
interesting seed.

Appreciate the reverence for life by promoting your child’s innocence, trust and love for you.

Show your child it is beautiful to be joyful and amazed by being enthusiastic about his or her discoveries and interests.

Join your child’s viewpoint and reinforce it by expressing a sense of wonder upon seeing or experiencing something new.

Your child’s innocence and wonder about the things around him will help him grow and learn in many ways.

Have fun playing with your child. Children grow up so quickly, even though it may not seem so when you’re in the thick of it. When your children are grown-up and they laugh with you about old jokes, or fun times shared, you will be so glad you made the effort to have “special time” with them. There is nothing more worthwhile.