The meaning of the game in a child’s life

Preschool children spend most of their time playing games. Sometimes it seems to adults that when playing, children spend time on useless activities, because the game is perceived as an idle pastime and pampering. In fact, the game is a leading activity for preschoolers. This means that it is the game that is necessary for the development of children of this age.

The developing effect of the game on the child is impossible without the participation of an adult. The younger the child, the greater the inclusion of parents in the game. When the baby is just starting to play, mom and dad are his favorite game partners. Parents can initiate games themselves or support the initiative of the child. At an older age, parents can act as outside observers, assistants, and consultants. In any case, an adult acts as a guide to the world of the game.

The impact of the game on child development

During the game, the child develops physically, mentally and personally. Let us consider in more detail how games affect the development of a child.

• The development of the cognitive sphere. During the game, the child actively learns the world around him, gets acquainted with the properties of objects, their purpose. This aspect of the influence of the game on development manifests itself at a very early age, when the child is not yet playing, but only manipulating objects: puts cubes on top of each other, puts balls in the basket, tries toys “on the tooth”. Together with the assimilation of new knowledge about the world around us, the development of cognitive processes takes place during the game: attention, memory, and thinking. The skills formed at an early age to concentrate, analyze, memorize information will be very useful for the child to study at school;
• Physical development. During the game, the child masters various movements, improves his motor skills. All children love outdoor games: they like to run, jump, tumble, kick the ball. In such games, the child learns to masterfully own his body, acquires dexterity and good muscle tone, which is very important for a growing body;
• The development of imaginative thinking and imagination. During the game, the child gives objects new properties, models his own imaginary space. The child himself at this moment understands that everything is going on for good, but when he plays, he really sees money in the leaves, in the pebbles - potatoes for soup, and in the raw sand - dough for fragrant pies. The development of imagination and imaginative thinking is the most important aspect of the influence of the game, because the child has to make non-standard decisions in order to realize the plot of his game. True, recently this property of the game is exterminated by manufacturers of children's toys, creating a wide variety of play sets for all occasions. The most realistic children's kitchens, laundries, sets for playing in the store deprive the children's play of an element of fantasy;
• The development of speech and communication skills. In the process of a role-playing game, the child constantly has to pronounce his actions, play dialogs between the heroes of the game. Games in the company of other children contribute not only to the development of speech, but also to the development of communication skills: children need to assign roles, agree on the rules of the game, and maintain contact directly during the game. The child learns not only to negotiate, but also to comply with the adopted rules;
• The development of the motivational sphere. Role-playing games are based on the fact that the child imitates an adult. During the game, the child, as it were, tries on the role of an adult, at the game level, tries to fulfill its functions. Such a game forms a child’s motivation to become a truly adult, that is, get a profession, make money, start a family. Of course, in order for the “correct” motivation to be formed during the game, the child must have a positive example of adults before his eyes;
• The development of moral qualities. Although the plots of children's games are fictitious, the conclusions that the child draws from playing situations are real. The game is a kind of training ground at which the child learns to be honest, courageous, decisive, friendly. Of course, for the formation of moral qualities, not only a children's game is needed, but also an adult nearby, who will help to more deeply see the game situation and draw the right conclusions;
• Development and correction of the emotional sphere. During the game, the child learns to sympathize, support, regret, express sympathy. Sometimes it happens that through the games emotional problems of the child “break through”: fear, anxiety, aggression. In a playful way, you can give vent to these emotions and live with a child difficult situations for him.

We also read: How we spoil the game for children: 6 common mistakes

Unfortunately, recently a real spontaneous children's game is supplanted by learning in a playful way or computer games. You need to understand, but neither one nor the other activity is, in essence, the game that gives so much for the development of the child. Of course, real and “high-quality” children's games are not always convenient for adults, because these are huts made of pillows and blankets, construction cities throughout the apartment and a mess. However, it is not worth limiting the child in his fantasies and games, because they correctly say that everything has its own time, and childhood is the time of the game. The child, who was given plenty to play, will be better prepared to move to a new step in his development.

We read on the topic:

• The influence of music on child development;
• Modern gadgets (the effect of gadgets on a child);
• The effect of fairy tales on child development.