When we think of play, it can often be misinterpreted as something that is not beneficial. Especially when it comes to children and their ability to learn through play. According to Play at the Center of the Curriculum, play is defined as an expression of the development of personality, sense of self, intellect, of the child's social capacity and physicality (Van Hoorn 2015). When focusing on play in a learning program, children can benefit from many benefits, including developing social and emotional skills, encouraging language skills, and enhancing creativity and imagination. Children develop their social and emotional skills very early in life, unless they experience a traumatic event that may deter them from developing these important skills. When a child has a loving and nurturing relationship with his or her parent or caregiver early on, it enhances the social and emotional skills needed to succeed in life. I think it is important to observe children playing alone because you can learn a lot by watching them. Preschool, kindergarten, and primary school are key times when children show how resilient they are. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”? Get an original essay According to Mead, during the play phase, these early years provide children with the context and opportunity to see themselves as unique from others. (Balances 2015). When children can direct their own play, it allows them to take the skills they have developed so far and use them to their advantage. This has the advantage of encouraging their creativity and imagination. There are many ways to help children develop critical thinking skills and really foster their creativity. Some activities to help children develop these creative skills through play are painting, wearing costumes, or playing with playdough. In the simplest terms, allow kids to make messes. As crazy as it sounds, children should have the freedom to create and develop their imagination. “Parents today often believe that if they give their children too much free time, they are wasting opportunities to learn and prepare their children for their future. But these types of parental choices, while made lovingly and with the best of intentions, are not a gift to children, according to current theory and research on child development. Today’s children desperately need time and space to develop their creative imaginations, free from adult agendas” (Child Time 2017). These types of activities go hand in hand with the dramatic play stage in Piaget's theory of play development. “The play involves the creation of imaginary roles and situations and frequently accompanies the construction of false objects, but its representation is more abstract” (Alward 2015). When a child experiences a traumatic event, it can be extremely difficult for them to open up. but observing them through play can be very helpful when trying to learn more about what they experienced. In The Boy Who Was Raised as a Dog, by Dr. Bruce Perry, he tells the story of a period in his career when he worked with a young girl who was the constant victim of sexual abuse at the hands of the little ones. friends of his mother for many years and, one of the ways he got her to open up about what she experienced was to allow them to spend time together through play. He.