The Power of Family Play

While I’m committed to instilling a strong work ethic in my children, I also appreciate the value of meaningful play and how it has the power to enhance their development and improve the overall quality of their lives. Curiosity, creativity, physical movement: I want them to embrace it all!

Play is often talked about as if it were a relief from serious learning. But for children, play is serious learning. Play is really the work of childhood. – Fred Rogers

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Sadly, our culture has begun to underestimate the power of play, not only for small children, but for all of us. There is much discussion centered around discovering a balance of work and play, but I think life is much more enjoyable when the lines between the two are blurred. Few things excite me more than discovering fresh ways to implement this idea into our family life.

The Power of Family Play

In our family, we experience rich play through:

toys, puzzles, and games,
field trips and family outings,
opportunities for unstructured time to be creative.

Play, work, and service are every bit as important as working the mind, and they actually do work the mind as well, just in a different way. – Durenda Wilson

Inside Our Lifestyle:

If the weather is cooperative, you will find us in the great outdoors.

An evening at the park is one of our favorite ways to spend time together.

Family Game Nights are another favorite in our house.

Bikes, balls, and board games…we do it all, and the teachable moments – some expected, some not so expected – never cease to amaze us!

PLAY CHALLENGE:

Is there space in your family life for meaningful play? Are there opportunities for Fine Motor Play? Gross Motor Play? Free Unstructured Play? Family time together that includes no other agenda but to simply enjoy each other? By embracing these kinds of family moments together, you can impact your child – encouraging them as they journey through each developmental stage.

Would your family enjoy a weekly game night? Currently, our official Family Game Night falls on Thursday. Sure, we play classic games that families have enjoyed for years, but we have enjoyed playing all kinds of different educational games as well. Not only are we practicing how to take turns and how to win and lose graciously, but we’re also reinforcing many of the things we’re learning in school. Can you picture a similar scenario working well in your home?

Do any nearby family spots pique your interest? A local park? A nearby farm or zoo? An age-appropriate science center that could make a good day trip? These kinds of outings have gifted us with many opportunities to play together as a family. What ideas do you have for your crew?

Work hard. Play well. Blur the lines.

To browse our family’s favorite books, puzzles, games, and more, visit our Amazon Storefront. You can find all of the recommendations we think your family would enjoy, too.