After sitting down with another parent who felt self-conscious and unsure of how to play with her child, I had a thought: Playing doesn’t come naturally to every grown up and that’s okay. Why not use the Dana’s Kids blog to give parents a “Plan to Play?” I want to be clear that feeling “unable” to play is a concern I hear from both parents with typically-developing children and parents of children with special needs. Everyone can benefit from a “plan to play!”
The “Plan to Play” series of posts will give you play scenarios, storylines, and ideas, to use with your child. You’ll read about materials and modifications for different age groups, and ways to help your child take his or her play to the next level. These ideas can be shared with family members and caregivers, as well. Imaginative play supports all areas of a child’s development. Dramatic play will enhance your child’s vocabulary and language skills, enrich gross and fine motor development, expand their understanding of cognitive, math, and science concepts, and improve their social skills and emotional awareness. I hope you’ll find the information in these posts empowering and that you’ll “plan to play” with your child!
Dana’s Kids
empowered parents, happy families.