Have you ever wondered why your child wants more time on the playground than seems reasonable? Turns out, it may not be so unreasonable after all! We have put together a little research on how your child’s brain development is impacted through play.
Although important, there are several studies (Read about Dr. Sergio Pellis’s work here: http://www.uleth.ca/research-services/research_profiles/dr-sergio-pellis) demonstrating that maybe time in the classroom is less important than time on the playground during a child’s formative years. The reason for this lies in how the brain functions on a fundamental level and how the brain develops in children during those early, critical years of learning.
The Prefrontal Cortex
Also known simply as the front part of your brain. This part of your brain is responsible for learning, connecting, relating, and reasoning.
It is in this part of the brain where regular playtime has a huge impact. However, it is not just any kind of play, it is specifically free play that will have the most impact on your child’s ability to regulate emotions, negotiate situations, relate well with others, and thrive in complex social scenarios.
At playgrounds, we live and breathe free play.
The Bottom Line
Children that receive an abundance of time on the playground with friends and even by themselves, have shown to receive remarkably better grades when time in the classroom becomes necessary. Later in life there is a correlation in those same children when it comes to overall success in chosen career paths.
Check out the short, fun video above to learn a little more in regards to how play impacts your child’s development as a healthy, successful, adult later in life.
We love having our little guests let loose at Playgrounds, but it turns out, they’re actually learning and developing extremely important social skills along the way 