playing with kids

I just finished an interesting book (written by a member of the church, Lynnae Allred, but really appropriate for all parents) called Piggyback Rides and Slippery Slides. It is all about playing with kids and why having an adult play with kids is so important to their development. Briefly, some of the points were that kids who play with an adult:

*tend to be more creative

*are better able to regulate emotions, get along better with peers, and are more likely to follow rules/handle situations in socially appropriate way (during pretend play, children often act out troubling situations and figure out how to react to them)

*do as well or better academically than peers who are pushed into early learning experiences (music lessons, academic preschools, etc.)

*are less likely to suffer from anxiety, depression, stress, etc.

*are less likely to be obese

*are less likely to engage in risky behaviors: alcohol, tobacco use, sex, etc.

*are generally happier and have close relationships with one or more adults that will help them as they grow up

There were many other benefits but these are the ones that stood out to me. The book has lots of research but is written in a very accessible way and has many fun ideas for ways to play with kids. It was an interesting and useful read. I'd recommend it.

I had an interesting experience while reading it. We went to see Alfredo's cousin and her family (they live close by... we visit regularly). When we got there, Michelle asked Dayanara (who is the same age... born two days before Michelle) to go play. She said, "Later... I’m watching tv." This made Michelle sad, but Daya wanted to watch a cartoon. I finally, nearly an hour later, turned the tv to another channel and convinced her to go play with Michelle. Then later, Daya opened a brand new package of legos. They both started building. Michelle built this elaborate building with a very interesting design and proudly showed it to me. Daya built a straight tower... just straight up and not very tall. After watching Michelle, she eventually tried to make it a little more interesting. Most of Daya's toys are electronic and her parents, rarely if ever, get down and play with her. This is just one example, but Michelle is definitely way ahead of Daya in language, pre-reading skills, and creativity. It mostly makes me sad, because Daya isn't dumb and her parents have invested plenty of money in "educational" toys. But they weren't raised in a home where their parents played with them, read to them, etc. And so they are not doing those things with their two children either. It was interesting to see this difference and see how Alfredo and I interact with our kids compared to how they do in the midst of reading this book.