6 Reasons to Play with Your Kids

Being a parent in the modern age is exhausting. Regardless of gender, we’re expected to work full time, keep a house, and if we decide to have children, find time for all of the things that they need as well. Even with a partner to carry half the load, it’s easy to find yourself totally overwhelmed and wanting nothing more than to fall into bed and sleep at the end of the day.   

The problem with this is that our kids don’t understand it. They don’t have the weight of the world on their shoulders without even the option to readjust their lion skin to make it more comfortable. They won’t understand when mom or dad just wants to veg on the bench at the park while they play. Here are six reasons why you should take the time to play with your kids.  

1. You May Be Their Only Playmate

The pandemic has been hard for everyone, but it’s been especially challenging for the littlest among us who don’t understand why they suddenly can’t go see their grandparents and playdates have become a socially distanced nightmare. While it has gotten a little easier now that there is a COVID-19 vaccine for the 5-11 year age group, but for those younger — especially with the Omicron variant running rampant — social distancing and virtual playdates are still the norm.   

For a while, you may be the only playmate your kids have available. Solo play has its benefits, but sometimes they just want someone to play with, and you may be their only playmate for the foreseeable future. 

2. Play Encourages Bonding

Bonding with your kid is something that we often take for granted, but it’s often not as easy as popular media makes it appear. Sure, some people fall in love with their little ones as soon as they emerge from the womb, but just as many struggle to build that bond. Taking the time to play with your kids builds that bond in both directions, and can help reinforce any bond that you’ve already built together. It’s all about creating those positive memories together, and sometimes slaying dragons or exploring the woods is all it takes to build those memories.  

3. It Gets Them Away From the Screen

According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, children under two shouldn’t have any screen time, and those between the ages of 2-5 should be limited to one hour a day. This is harder than it sounds, especially with our busy schedules and the fact that everything from playdates to school lessons has gone virtual since 2020. Still, taking the time to play is the perfect opportunity to get them away from the screen for a bit while you do something fun. Board games, arts and crafts, or just running around the backyard for a while are all great alternatives to dropping them in front of the electronic babysitter and going on with your day. Just make sure that will put unnecessary things away from your backyard to keep it safe from the Children. Start repairing a fence if you see them rotten and broken to avoid accidents.

4. Play is Stress Relief for Both Of You

Being an adult means being frequently stressed. It just comes with the territory. Being a kid can be stressful too, though the stressors come from different sources. You’re probably thinking, what does a kid have to be stressed about, but as an adult, you’ve probably forgotten the trauma of being handed the wrong spoon at dinner time or the endless debate of whether you should wear the pink shoes or the blue ones. Everything is new to these little humans, and things can feel out of control, which contributes to stress. Play, especially play that they are able to direct, gives them a tangible sense of control that can help to reduce stress.  

This sort of stress reduction can go both ways, helping you manage your own stressors. It’s impossible to be stressed out when you’re trying to concentrate on the role of the dragon in your child’s fantasy world.  

5. Kids Learn On the Playground

The act of play is how kids learn to interact with the world around them. Something as simple as climbing a jungle gym or tossing a ball back and forth with a friend can help teach them skills that they’ll use for their entire life. The former helps to improve cardiovascular health and strength, and the latter teaches things like hand-eye coordination and both gross and fine motor skills. Playing with other people also helps to teach things like leadership, respect, responsibility, and problem solving, all while they’re having fun on the playground.  

Taking the time to play with them, especially if you’re allowing them to take the lead, can help to teach them these skills and also demonstrate that you see and respect them as individual and independent people. This goes back to our first comment about bonding with your kids.  

6. You Might Learn How to Play Again Too

As we grow, we’re told that it’s important to put away childish things — and that often includes things like play. How long has it been since you used your imagination for something other than coming up with yet another excuse to avoid hanging out with your coworkers at the end of the week? The benefits of play don’t just apply to children. Taking the time to play with your kids could help you re-learn those play skills that you’ve forgotten. You might be surprised at how much better you feel for it. 

Get Off the Bench and Go Play 

Instead of parking yourself on the bench or standing on the sidelines, go play with your kids the next time you go to the park, or the next time they ask you to participate in their games. You won’t regret it, and you’ll both benefit from the time together.