Fun to learn
Illawarra Mercury
Tuesday March 22, 2011
Play is the way children learn everything about their world says mother of two and Lindsay Park Playgroup co-ordinator Vanessa Smith."Play is basically the way [children] learn skills for life; social skills, communication, gross and fine motor skills," Mrs Smith says."Parents need to understand that play is an integral part of a child's life, it is something they need to do to learn."The early childhood teacher says her and her husband spend several hours a day playing with their three-year-old son Blake."We really enjoy it, my husband loves rough and tumble play, tickle games, running outside and kicking games," she says."Blake and I like to do play dough, building construction, lots of dramatic play."Blake is really into dress-ups at the moment, he loves running around the house at the moment being Buzz Lightyear which is not mummy's favourite game."Mrs Smith, who also has six-month-old Alyssa, says parents need to maintain a playtime routine when a new sibling arrives."It is very important with multiple children that you still play together as a family," she says.
© 2011 Illawarra Mercury