Babies and toddlers have one job to do, and that is to play.
In their formative years, movement and brain activity are key. This molds them into strong and healthy kids, both physically and mentally.
As parents, we must help our kids do their work. But, more importantly, it’s our duty to make them feel like they are playing. So let Ashtonbee equip you with the knowledge to encourage your kids to engage in active play. In addition, we’ll give you recommendations with the right toys and safety items that will help enhance your children’s playtime development.
Benefits of Active Play
Getting your children to play is the most important thing you can do as a parent. When they are active and engaged, they reap the benefits of holistic improvement. What’s good about active play is that once they get accustomed to an active and playful lifestyle, they carry it over to adulthood.
The benefits of play are tremendous. It contributes to your child’s growth in these aspects.
Improves Memory
Active children have better brain metabolism. Thus, they’re more likely to remember things both in the short term and long term.
When your children are engaged in active play, whether structured or unstructured, they also exercise certain cognitive skills. For example, they are trained to solve problems, follow instructions, or improvise. All these things are built into their brain for future use.
Builds Confidence
When they can test their abilities through active play, they discover what they can do with their bodies and minds. Similarly, they learn about their environment through indoor and outdoor play. The combination of the external elements and their internal sense of curiosity will lead them to engage.
This process brings about familiarization and confidence. For example, if your child has thrown a ball and retrieved it or run around indoors unscathed, this will give them more confidence to test their might in the future.
Boosts Creativity and Imagination
Unstructured play—such as dress-up games, story-telling, and role playing—helps your little one develop a creative mind. They can improvise and think of scenarios as they go about their play. This imagination will help them build problem-solving skills and self-reliance as they grow up.
Autonomy and Independence
Play has a way of helping children manage and regulate their behavior. They make choices and learn from their mistakes as they go along with what they are doing. That’s how they learn.
If this period of learning by doing continues, they store up experiences that will make them more careful of their actions. As a result, they’ll develop autonomy and independence to a point where you can let them play unsupervised.
Social Skills
Children benefit most when they play with other children. They learn social skills apart from developing all the benefits mentioned above. When they interact, they learn certain unspoken rules in the field, such as sharing their toys or not hurting other kids.
Play teaches them how to navigate the world around them, especially in the aspect of interpersonal relationships.
How to Encourage Your Child to Play
Now that we’re invested in our child’s growth through play, let’s help them engage in it. As parents, we want to see them grow and develop as healthy and happy human beings. The only way for us to do that is to expose them to playing and learning as much as possible.
Here are helpful ways to get your child to play more.
Spearhead Structured Play
You can teach your children and their friends a game they can play. There are structured games that are both goal-oriented and active as well. Here are some fun structured games you can teach the kids.
The Floor is Lava (Toddlers)
This is a game where the players avoid touching the floor whenever someone in charge says, “the floor is lava.” It’s a fun game that will test kids’ problem-solving skills and talent. The Floor is Lava is best enjoyed with a kids’ play mat.
If you want to increase the fun and the challenge, try mixing it up with these game rules.
Freeze Dance
This is another game with a simple rule: players dance to a tune the way they want to, but the moment the music stops, they stop moving, too. Anyone caught moving while the music is off is out of the game.
Supervise Unstructured Play
To encourage unstructured but active play, a foolproof way to do this is by bringing out toys. So here are some stuff you can bring out to nudge them in the right direction.
- A ball
- Costumes
- Toy cars
- Toy cooking equipment
- Building blocks
- A toddler bike
Enhance Your Child’s Fun with a Play Mat for Kids
Enhance your little one’s enthusiasm for active play with Ashtonbee’s play mat. With its baby-safe features and interesting look, this mat will be the perfect zone where you can let your child enjoy outdoor or indoor play.
Engaging Design
Ashtonbee’s baby play mat is made with bright colors and designed with a road maze print. This will keep your child engaged with curiosity, similar to putting together a puzzle piece.
Reversible
If you want to mix things up, Ashtonbee’s mat will help you do that. Each side of this foam mat doesn’t look the same. But, with its different colors and patterns, you’ll keep your baby interested in play.
Made of XPE Foam Material
This kids’ foam play mat is made of thick and soft material that can protect your child from falls, bumps, and bruises.
In addition, this non-toxic play mat ensures your child is safe from harmful chemicals like BPA, latex, phthalates, and formaldehyde. So you can rest assured this foam floor mat will not cause any illnesses to your little one.
Foldable for Easy Storage
This playtime mat is designed with folding creases to give you an easy time folding the foam mat. It’s also convenient to store it anywhere because of its portable size. That means you can put it inside a small drawer or closet, and you’ll be ready to take it out anytime.
It Can Be Set Up Anywhere
Part of the benefits of a foldable foam play mat is you can set it up anywhere around the house. For example, you can pull it out from the storage cabinet and lay it down on your living room hardwood floor to protect your baby and your flooring.
Alternatively, you can also bring this mat outdoors. If you want to let your child play in the yard while keeping them germ-free and safe, this is the baby play mat that will do the job.
Easy to Clean
You can easily wipe this baby mat with a damp cloth if you want to clean it. The surface of this foam mat repels stains and liquids and ensures you won’t have to scrub it heavily.
Anti-Slip Playmat
Your little one will firmly stand on their feet due to this baby mat’s anti-slip surface pattern design. You’ll be worry-free knowing your baby is less likely to trip and fall when they run on Ashtonbee’s kids’ play mat.
Let Ashtonbee Help Your Child Play More
We all recognize the importance of active play for our children. So let’s encourage them more by letting them play safely. That’s what Ashtonbee’s kids’ play mat can do. It can keep your child from risks and hazards so they can enjoy active play longer.
If you’re ready to help your child engage in more playtime, get Ashtonbee’s mat. This is a worthy purchase that will reward your child with the development they need, and you with the happiness and peace of mind you deserve.
