Helping children identify people and their roles

There are many playsets in the market with a variety of themes that can help your child identify with a variety of life scenarios. If you have a 'farm' playset for instance, help your little farmer know what it's like to plant or sow seeds in your garden. Go to the library and borrow picture books to help him identify items within the theme and the different tasks they are used for. You might also want to reinforce what he’s learned with field trips where he can see, feel and experience the real thing. Challenge his memory and thinking skills by asking him to repeat a sound he knows: 'What sound does the goat make?'. Or repeat dialogues that identify with certain characters from a movie, or from a book. Such replay lets him practice what he's learned, forces him to think intelligently and form ideas.

Nurturing good social skills and habits along the way

It's more beneficial if you encourage your child to play with a pal or two. This actually teaches him how to work as a team, lead, cooperate and negotiate…all of which are important for developing social skills. Role play engages emotion, language and sensory skills, among others.
Why not use play to teach your child about chores and errands? Choose toys that trigger such imitative play. It could be playing 'house' or driving a battery-operated 'family car' or looking after 'kids'. It will help him understand your world, feelings, who you are and what you do. With your encouragement, he will acquire important life skills that will help him grow into a more understanding and independent young adult.

Watch your child’s world grow beyond books and television.

It's not just fun. Your child will be endowed with all kinds of skills and knowledge. He would have learnt to use imagination, think in abstract terms; acquired language, social, problem-solving, leadership and essential life skills; gained confidence with a sense of self; and explored a world beyond kiddy books and television. It's amazing how theme play based on real life concepts can shape a child's mind, values and habits, and help him succeed in the real world.



Article is contributed by Fisher-Price®

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