The benefits of children of mixed ages playing together

In the modern digital age, the concept of “play” has changed immensely from the previous generation. Those over the age of 35 will no doubt remember playing outside with school friends, neighbours and siblings with the only instruction to “be back for dinner time”. It was an era when children of all ages mixed and it is now somewhat different according to findings by social scientists which was reported in Ivanhoe Newsletter. Children mix but nowadays play tends to be more organised rather than something that happens naturally. Unfortunately, this can mean that kids of different ages don’t engage like they did a generation ago. At our kindergarten in Bangkok, this is a trend that we are keen to reverse, understanding the importance of children of all ages playing together. It is beneficial to all ages and helps their development and progression into adulthood. Here are just a few of the benefits that your child could experience. Greater cooperation Throughout our lives, whether it be in family life, our social lives, working lives or just in society in general, we will need to learn to cooperate and interact with people of different abilities. When children of mixed ages play together strengths and weakness will present themselves, and it is a good life experience to see how all parties respond and adapt. We must learn to cooperate with each other, and while it is common for younger children to look up to their older peers, the feelings are not always replicated. Learning that you need to mix from an early age will better prepare youngsters for the challenges that the world will throw at them. The benefits are even more significant in a multi-cultural city such as Bangkok when people of all nationalities and cultures interact. This understanding and cooperation will build solid foundations for becoming “good” human beings. Leadership roles One of the most common misconceptions regarding mixed-age play is that it is only younger children who benefit. Often older children gain more from the experience, assuming natural leadership roles and practising nurturing. According to Peter Gray Ph.D., a research professor in the department of psychology at Boston College and author of many books on the subject, children of both sexes demonstrate more compassion and understanding of children at least three years younger. An excellent example of this would be adolescents taking on the role of a babysitter for a younger sibling or family friend. Initially, it may not be a role that they wish to fulfil, but over time they will start to appreciate the benefits. Younger children will learn to be away from their parents and learn from people more of their own age. Peer learning Peer learning will occur naturally when children of different ages mix, maybe learning social skills, practical skills or even involve academic learning. Inevitably, teenagers find themselves in a position of explaining situations to the younger members of the group. A consequence of this is that the older children must have a clear understanding of the concept before they can teach it, so this allows more mature children to further their own learning and understanding. It is common for younger children to ask questions. As parents, we are all familiar with the question “why?” after we have told a child to do something. Asking questions where the social difference between student and teacher are not so apparent makes younger children more confident when challenging ideas or concepts. It is something that will help both parties throughout their academic and working life. Learning is more fun Learning through play is undoubtedly more fun than classroom learning. Juveniles of all ages will be learning new skills during playtimes. Learning becomes something that the child enjoys, mainly because it is not overtly apparent that this is what they are doing. Often older children are keen to pass on their knowledge and demonstrate their intellect with the younger child eager to listen. Once again, elders will benefit from reinforcing their learning, while juniors will learn something new. In the modern age, where criticism of digital technology and kids is common, having almost constant access to Google can again reap many rewards. Children immediately get answers to questions and check the authenticity of information that they have been taught – something that would be frowned upon during classroom learning.    Discussions Children are more confident engaging in natural discussions rather than ones which are forced or “encouraged” upon them. Children are often known to debate things that they have been taught in class when playing with older students who offer less difference in status or authority to a teacher joining the discussions. The back and forth questioning is believed to develop an understanding of all ages. It is even evident in strategy games such as chess. For example, an older child makes a move, and the younger one asks for an explanation of why the move was made. Extended discussions also help children to articulate their views better. Elders will need to adapt their terminology for juniors to understand. Likewise, younger children will need to extend their vocabulary to understand points that interest them, so the benefits are two-fold. Iron out differences We must recognise that differences in opinion do exist throughout life. Children of all ages are frequently known to “fall out” with friends, but after some discussion, the problems are resolved. Older children can play a role in nurturing and encouraging friends with differences to talk. The mature members of the group will be able to adopt a big brother or sister role, offering help and advice. Did you find our article interesting? We hope that this article and helped explain the importance of interaction between children of all ages. At Kidz Village, it is something that we feel passionate about and believes it forms a key part of their education. Our acclaimed International School in Bangkok strives to provide the ideal environment to promote learning. For more information, please call us on +66 2888 3337 and we will be happy to answer

The benefits of children’s play with limited resources or play without toys

It seems that every time we turn on our TV set or look on the internet, we are bombarded with adverts for toys that are “essential” for our child’s learning and development. As parents, we always want the best for our children, and sometimes we become overwhelmed by guilt when we don’t purchase the latest toy! Of course, this is how the media and manufacturers want us to react, but is it healthy? At our international kindergarten in Bangkok, we appreciate how important play is in a child’s development. There have been several studies recently regarding the amount of time that children spend playing freely and the time they spend taking part in structured activities. Unfortunately, structured activities seem to come out on top, with an over-emphasis on the educational benefits rather than a child’s overall development. It is something that can stifle a youngster’s creativity and imagination – something that could be detrimental even in adulthood. Why is play so crucial in a child’s development? As we touched upon, an over-emphasis on academia can adversely impact a child’s development as it can ignore other aspects of their development. For instance, play plays a huge role in cognitive development as well as improving social and emotional skills. Physical activity also enhances wellbeing, something that often goes ignored with structured activities or play using toys. When a toddler enjoys their time without toys, it encourages them to develop “pretend play”. It is known to stimulate thinking, higher levels of communication and interaction as they want others to join in. The connection between language development and play should not be overlooked. Symbolic play, a form of pretend play, involves the use of symbols or objects that represent something. For example, children often use a washing up liquid bottle to serve as a rocket or tables and pillows to represent a house. For the child to let others know what is in their imagination, they must communicate their thoughts, and this can start from a very young age. The development of pretend play According to Weitzman & Greenberg, 2002, the stages of pretend play development and language development run almost parallel. Below we have listed the steps, and their connection with language quickly becomes apparent. Self-pretend Self pretend is a stage of play that usually occurs between the ages of 12 and 18 months. Children will pretend to undertake regular activities such as eating or drinking. At this young age, the child will perform one task at a time, but parents will be able to understand what they are trying to communicate. Simple pretend It is the next stage and occurs between the ages of 18 to 24 months, whereby the child will use easily recognisable actions such as making figures fight or a toy plane fly. Often the play is accompanied by fitting noises related to the play. Several actions Between the ages of 24 and 30 months, the child will pretend to carry out actions which they do on a day to day basis. A typical example is pretending to make a drink and serve them to a doll or teddy bear. Often, but not always, realistic accessories are used, such as cups and spoons. In many cases, something such as a stick is used to represent a spoon. More complex actions Pretending to work in a shop or be a doctor is typical in children aged between 30 and 36 months, and this is evidenced by the array of toys available to represent these imaginary situations. In a shop, for instance, paper is used to represent money or toilet roll for bandages. Sometimes they will use objects that bear little resemblance to the actual item, but once again, parents can usually get the gist of the game Roleplay Children aged between 3 and 5 years often engage others in their imaginary themes. The themes often involve superheroes or pirates. Often props aren’t required, and gestures or mimes form a central part to the play. Language forms a crucial part where the child will explain their role and carry out the related actions. Doctors and patients are also a common theme with the “doctor” asking the “patient” where something hurts. Older children For older children, they often incorporate items such as sticks into their play. Sticks can represent a guitar, horse or even a fishing rod and sticks are particularly popular with children for their variety of uses. Children should be encouraged to explore and take an interest in nature, under supervision, of course, as well as other tasks that involve exploring and using their imagination. The problem with toys As we discussed at the start, the media plays a significant role in telling us what toys we should be buying. The problem is that a child will quickly become bored with a toy, especially if they have a lot to choose from. As toys become more sophisticated, they rely less on the child’s imagination and indeed “high-tech” toys can even inhibit play, interaction and even language. Toys can form a distraction for a young child who will only have a short attention span. Choosing appropriate toys Of course, it would be foolish to say that toys don’t have a role to play in a child’s development. When choosing a toy, you should consider the stage of development that your child is at. It is also worth considering the number of toys that you are buying. With short attention spans, a child is likely to flit from one toy to another, which can have an impact on their ability to concentrate. Books are always suitable for children because they are educational but also encourage a parent-child bond. Did you find our article interesting? We hope that this article explained why there shouldn’t be an over-reliance on toys in a child’s play. At our acclaimed International School in Bangkok, we strive to provide the ideal environment to promote learning. For more information, please call us on +66 2888 3337 and we will be happy to