Why play is so important for children’s development: theory & practice

Scientific findings on the importance of play for children

Abstract: While playing, children have the opportunity to process what they have experienced.
They immerse themselves in their own world and can thus distance themselves from reality and all its problems for a while.
In addition, families also have the opportunity to strengthen and deepen their relationships with their children through shared leisure activities.

Why do children play?

Children play because they enjoy it and because they are interested in the motive for playing.
Even if playing is primarily an end in itself for children, this activity fulfills at least four functions that are crucial for children’s development:

Playing for the development of motor skills

While playing, children develop their gross and fine motor skills as well as body coordination and balance, all of which are essential for physical activity, good body awareness and confidence in their own abilities.

Play for the development of social behavior

Children pay attention to their play partners, because otherwise a game cannot succeed and be fun.
In this way, children learn to put themselves in the shoes of others, develop a sense of group dynamics and experience how they can put their own wishes and needs aside in favor of a greater good.

Play for the development of cognitive skills

When children constantly discover meaning in something in a playful way and re-evaluate and deepen things in the process, they develop logical thinking structures in this way.
So if you allow children to play undisturbed or create the right environment for them to do so, you indirectly help them to improve their concentration and memory.
Certain toys can also be used to promote specific skills such as color perception and number sense.

Playing for emotional consolidation

Children recognize and process feelings while playing.
This is usually the first time they learn to deal with successes and failures and acquire empathy.

Conclusion

Play is therefore more than just a leisure activity.
Properly encouraged and applied, it is an ongoing process of holistic, comprehensive skills acquisition.

Source: Prof. Dr. Harald Lange on behalf of the DVSI.

You can find out more about this topic on the website of Prof. Dr. Harald Lange from the University of Würzburg or from the German Toy Industry Association (DVSI).

Applications in practice

Baby carriage chains

Baby carriage chains are one of the most popular toys for babies on the go.
They playfully promote your little one’s visual perception, early motor skills and acoustic awareness.

Baby carriage chains with different figures and materials, bright and contrasting colors and interesting sounds are particularly captivating for children at this early age.

Sindibaba baby carriage chains offer your baby a variety of entertainment options, with the friendly facial features of the animals as new best friends, the different colors and the sounds of the rattles integrated into the soft toys coming to the fore.

In addition, Sindibaba baby carriage chains are always made of two different main materials – and therefore also surface textures (on the one hand the smooth wood of the beads and clips, and on the other the uneven fluffy upper material of the crocheted soft toys), which promotes the learning of your child’s sense of touch.
Other senses are also stimulated when hearing, seeing and grasping the necklace.

Baby carriage trailer

The same applies to baby carriage chains as it does to baby carriage pendants, with the difference that they are less attractive.
While the Sindibaba baby carriage chains each have two animal figures and a second motif in the middle of the pram chain, the baby carriage pendant only has one animal motif.
Otherwise, however, this product family has the same characteristics, which have a beneficial effect on your baby’s development.