The Importance of Play in Promoting Healthy Child Development and Maintaining Strong Parent-Child Bond: Focus on Children in Poverty

Abstract

Play is essential to the social, emotional, cognitive, and physical well-being of children beginning in early childhood. It is a natural tool for children to develop resiliency as they learn to cooperate, overcome challenges, and negotiate with others. Play also allows children to be creative. It provides time for parents to be fully engaged with their children, to bond with their children, and to see the world from the perspective of their child. However, children who live in poverty often face socioeconomic obstacles that impede their rights to have playtime, thus affecting their healthy social-emotional development. For children who are underresourced to reach their highest potential, it is essential that parents, educators, and pediatricians recognize the importance of lifelong benefits that children gain from play.

Positive Parenting Practices, Health Disparities, and Developmental Progress

“…10,11 Interactive parenting practices that provide cognitive stimulation to a child, such as reading, talking, and playing, promote the development of early childhood language skills, which in turn affect school readiness and subsequent educational achievement. [10][11][12][13][14][15][16][17] Combined with emerging neurobiological research showing caregiving as a protective influence from the impact of poverty on the structure of the developing brain, there exists a strong rationale to encourage interactive caregiving practices during the first 3 years of life when critical neuronal and synaptic brain processes are forming. [18][19][20][21] To that end, the pediatric, public health, and scientific communities have called on pediatricians to encourage daily interactive activities and routines, including reading, playing, telling stories, and eating meals together to promote early child development and education.…”

Physical activity of children from a small rural town, South Africa

“…Physical activity is not only important for the physical development of children, 1 but is also important to establish social structures, enhance sensory and emotional intelligence, and stimulate cognitive development. 2 According to the World Health Organization (WHO), low-and middle-income countries are witnessing the fastest rise in overweight children. 3 This was confirmed by a review of South African literature, indicating high levels of overweight and obesity in children and adolescents; inactivity was identified as one of the major causes.…”

Playground Safety and Quality in Chicago

“…1,2 Physical play, in particular, is associated with a decreased risk of obesity, improved self-esteem, and improved academic performance. [3][4][5][6] Playgrounds can play an important role in supporting physical activity and maintaining a healthy BMI in children, especially in dense urban environments like Chicago.…”