Allow your little one a time to play. Not structured play, just natural, creative play.
For many years I worked in an area where mothers competed with each other for the most extramural activities their little ones could attend. If Mrs S was taking her little Sarah to art classes, Mrs T had to take little Jenny to those classes in case she missed out. Little David had to go to swimming lessons and judo because Gareth was going to the lessons. Many times we struggled to find a time for the little one to come to the clinic for immunization. Because every afternoon he was attending classes and he wasn’t even attending school yet!
The little ones didn’t have any time to just play. All their free time was taken up with structured activities. When they weren’t busy with activities they sat in front of the TV.
Give your children time to just play
Allow them the time to make up their own little games.
Let them get dirty in the mud. Let them make roads in the sand for the little cars or a swing for the doll in the tree in the garden. And let him/ her collect their own little ‘treasures’ with which to play.
Unstructured play can only be beneficial for emotional, intellectual and creative development.
Allow them time to live in their own imaginary world.
Allow your little one time to create.
24th September 2012
Teresa Denton (1941 – 2014)
Teresa encouraged all those who came to their baby clinics in South Africa to spend time with their children in play. This was very important for her. Teresa spent her creative time writing poetry. Her HIV poetry book is published on Amazon.
