What children need to play for their proper development is something we all know. What we are no longer so clear about is how much do children have to play according to their age up to date. In a world, children have school hours as if they were working days, it is necessary to stop to see if we are doing well. Let's see how long the children have to play.
Not all ages have the same needs. The younger the children, the more needs to play they will have. In addition to enjoying playing, children use play as a learning method, which is why it is much more valuable than it seems. Children who play more have many more skills that are only learned through play. Skills such as attention span are worked on during play, something so necessary for their school and adult life.
That is why parents must allow children to dedicate part of their daily routine to playing, especially outdoors. We saw it in the article "Benefits of playing children outdoors", why it was so important that children are not locked in 4 walls. How children play and how much time they spend on it will have an effect on your children's lives.
Less homework and more play
Besides having strenuous days at school, in addition to the children sThey are given an infinite number of tasks and duties leaving little or no time for play. Their lives are like those of mini-adults and we are depriving them of something as important as play.
It is important to establish the habit of studying and reviewing content seen in class, but they should be more progressive and not so invasive of their time. So that they can take advantage of both the study and enjoyment time (and also learning, let's not forget) that the game facilitates them. Let's see how long do children need to play according to their ages.
How long do children have to play according to their age
- Children up to 3 years. In these ages the children they should have their main activity in the game. Through play they discover how the real world works, they work on their motor development, they improve their imagination, they learn to follow rules and develop socially. Up to 2 years we should avoid technological devices as much as possible so that they play in the traditional way. Younger children learn interacting with the real world, not through a screen.
- From 3 to 7 years. Its main activity also It should be the game but here you have to coordinate it with their school activities. We will have to leave as much time as possible outside the school for them to play, and even in class they can learn through games that are not too complicated.
- Children from 7 to 10 years old. Between these ages they should be at least One hour a day to be able to play, read, draw ... Activities that are not purely school or games that are more complicated. They need to work on new skills and abilities, develop social and emotional skills to prepare for adolescence. Here they can already use technological devices to play, but always under supervision. It is advisable to continue doing outdoor activities, which we can do as a family to also create emotional ties.
- From 11 to 12 years. At this stage they begin to be interested in other games, such as sports, consoles, mobiles ... They still need to play in their free time. Being more autonomous, you can manage their schedules themselves to be able to take time to do it.
Because remember ... the mental development of children will depend on the correct use they make of the game. Let's not underestimate something so important to your development.