The Impact of Play on the Physical Self in Early Childhood Development

By: Jennifer Jacks

                Play within early childhood serves to advance development from all aspects. One area of development which is directly affected by play is the physical development.  Different types of play can stimulate the progress of a variety of physical abilities including fine motor skills, strength, and coordination.



Playgrounds, which are available for use within many communities and school settings, offer children the opportunity to play creatively in a variety of ways which develop strength, balance, and coordination.

As children encounter a variety of experiences they experiment and are challenged which in turn leads to further development, “Through play, children develop the motor skills essential for physical development” (Hutchison, 2008, p. 154). The recognition of this research has lead to the action taken by caregivers. According to Howes (1995), within child care settings “puzzles and other manipulatives” (p. 2) are used in order to, “exercise fine motor skills and spatial coordination.” (p. 2).



In this photo you see a doll which offers the opportunity for children to develop a variety of fine motor skills in their play. From tying a shoelace, to zipping up zippers, to learning to use buttons, these types of toys allow for experimentation and development.



Strength and coordination can also be acquired through exploration of movement and recreational sport in early childhood. Within development children become increasingly mobile. Preston (2010) discusses children developing their mobility from being able to crawl, to being able to walk, run, jump, and skip. These skills can be developed more quickly by participation in games which allow the children an opportunity to be challenged and to practice specific skills. Some of these games which improve strength and coordination might include hop scotch, duck-duck-goose, jump rope, obstacle courses, and soccer. Through these types of experiences we discover the capacity of our own bodies and learn to enjoy movement (Preston, 2010).

 

In this video (Vegaconnection, 2008), a 2 year old demonstrates his fine motor skills which have been developed through his play with a soccer ball.

According to (Ginsburg, 2007, p. 183), “play builds active, healthy bodies”. Ginsburg (2007) also discusses that play also increases physical activity levels. Ginsburg (2007) continues on to highlight the importance of play being child-driven. Child-driven play allows the child to make discoveries of their own, and promotes ideal development (Ginsburg, 2007). Without the opportunity to play and explore, children could potentially suffer delayed or underdeveloped physical development skills. The positive aspects of play on physical development are clear and inevitable. Play is a vital component of healthy early childhood development.

In this video clip (eHow(a), 2008) Dr. Donna Williams demonstrates that encouraging you children in specific types of play at different stages through development can increase their strength and fine motor skills.

As is discussed in the video above (eHow(b), 2008), parents can stimulate their child's psysical development by challenging them to use specific skills in their play.

                                                              References

eHow(a) (2008, December 14). Playing with a baby through development: How to play with a 12-month-old baby [Video file]. Retrieved from  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4J1i9IRL-5E&feature=player_embedded
eHow(b) (2008, December 28). Stimulating a baby's physical development: How to sitmulate a 12-month-old's physical development [Video file]. Retrieved from http://www.youtube
       .com/watch?v=4J1i9IRL-5E&feature=player_embedded
Ginsburg, K. R. (2007). The importance of play in promoting healthy child development and maintaining strong parent-child bonds. Pediatrics, 119(1), 182.

Howes, C. (1995). Relations among child care quality, teacher behavior, children's play activities, emotional security, and cognitive activity in child care* 1. Early Childhood Research Quarterly, 10(4), 381.

Hutchison, E. (2008). Dimensions of Human Behavior: The Changing Life
       Course. Thousand Oaks, California: Sage Publications.

Preston, S. (2010). Lecture 3: Our Physical Selves [PowerPoint Slides].
       Retrieved from https://avenue.cllmcmaster.ca/d2l/lms/content/viewer/
       main_frame.d2l?ou=44187&tId=516763

Vegaconnection (2008, August 19). 2 year old soccer phenomenon [video file].
       Retrieved from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lPvWfPIj-qQ&feature=
       player_embedded