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This post is sponsored by Mattel. All opinions are my own.
Surveys show that imaginative play benefits children
“Today’s children don’t know a world without smartphones and the internet. They are growing up in an age where entertainment and information is always at the tip of their fingers. It is no surprise, then, that they spend a considerable amount of their time with technology each day.
Television still remains the media of choice among young children, with kids aged 5 to 8 spending around 64 minutes watching television each day, a number which is even higher in the 2 to 4-year-old age group.
Nearly 40 percent of parents report that their child owns a smartphone, and significant percentages have access to television in their rooms.
76% of parents at least somewhat agree that the less time kids spend with screen media, the better off they are, but this belief doesn’t seem to be greatly affecting the amount of media parents allow their kids to consume.” – S. Fuller, Statista.
So if 76% want less screen time… how do you accomplish that? MORE PLAYTIME!
Here are five reasons that PLAY is so important.
1. MORE PLAY BENEFITS CHILDREN Did you know that more than imaginative play benefits children? As a play therapist, I know that play does amazing things for children.
My own kids love playing with action figures, like the HARRY POTTER™ QUIDDITCH™ doll. I love that it gives them a chance for more imaginative play, along with endless amounts of fun. When kids engage in pretend and imaginative play, they are learning to walk in someone else’s shoes. This gives them skills of problem-solving, empathy and different points of view. They also learn about understanding another person’s feelings and their point of view.
They can move the dolls around and put them in different positions on and off of the broomsticks while they are playing.
The dolls have eleven “joints” in the neck, shoulders, knees, elbows & wrists, which makes for easy imaginative play.
Plus, the kids can pretend to be in the movie since the dolls look just like their real characters! They come with a Quidditch robe, a signature striped sweater, and molded protective gear. It’s the unique features like these moveable joints, the realistic clothing accessories, the GOLDEN SNITCH™ and the true-to-film Quidditch brooms that allow for endless fun.
This kind of interactive & imaginative play is so much better than letting them spend their time in front of a TV or computer screen.
4. TEACHES DECISION MAKING When a child plays, they learn about making choices. They understand cause & effect. Even a simple decision helps a child to feel more independent and confident. They can decide which toy to play with…
They can pick the experience… “Should my Harry Potter Quidditch doll be flying on his NIMBUS 2000™ broomstick to catch the Golden Snitch, or should he be off studying for his next test?” (All of these accessories come with the doll)
5. CREATES A BOND Did you know that the average parent spends less than 20 minutes a day playing with their child? If parents could spend just 20 minutes a day really PLAYING with their child, the results would shock them. Children that are given that kind of attention don’t need to look for it in other areas. Playing with a parent makes them feel safe, secure, loved and important.
As a play therapist, I often play with my kids because I’ve seen the results of it with each family that I work with… over & over again. The results are always the same. More play = better behavior.
My daughter is getting older and more mobile, so I want to make sure I’m giving her the toys she needs to play all the time. I didn’t know that imaginative play gives kids the skills to problem-solve and be empathetic. I’ll have to keep that in mind as I look for dolls and toys she would like, thanks to this post!