Play and joy

This is how play participates in our cognitive, emotional and social development in childhood.

Our playgrounds became silent and the merriment of laughter, laughter and challenges abruptly withdrew. Screens sprouted in our homes and technological and virtual leisure conquered our living rooms and dwellings.

Faced with a complex and alarming situation, the first responses that emerged were purely survivalist.These responses have been prolonged and have left their mark and side effects.

I would say that always, but especially in childhood and adolescence, free movement and connection in relationships are essential to fill us with vibrant energy to be interested in the world, explore and conquer developmental goals. There is no relationship without connection.

The importance of play in our development

Different philosophical, Biological and psychological approaches have recognized the value of play in child development. the value of play in child developmentespecially face-to-face play.

All mammalian offspring enjoy contact games, looks, roars. Such face-to-face play enables social learning and refinement.

In these face-to-face interactions, battles and confrontations involving risks are generated. In this peer-to-peer interaction they encourage each other, the energy grows, and so both animal and human puppies actively explore and generate unexpected situations. actively explore and generate unexpected, surprising and challenging situations through play and playfulness..

These intended or unintended situations can involve risk, challenge and danger which are experienced in play; whether in battles with monsters, or enemies that lead to war, injury and death.

Facing these situations allows us to experience novel, adaptive responses, as well as to negotiate agreements and rules.. Doing all this learning in the safe environment of play is an advantage.

Emotional implications of play

Chateau (1967) stated that through play morality is developed. By accepting, by following a rule developed in the game, for the common good of the players, the children are expressing and training the human capacity to create community, civilization. Morality is developed through social interactions with peers during play.

Play promotes playful, enjoyable, satisfying, joy-filled experiences. Emotion that facilitates both emotional and cognitive openness.

These satisfying and playful experiences promote resilience, as they foster the development of creativity by opening up the possibility of interpreting and experimenting with new, unexpected solutions to problems that arise during play. Play trains the ability to think flexibly and creatively in the face of the changing demands of play itself.

The dynamic play of childhood requires its players, the protagonists of the action, to adapt to the changing demands of the game.especially in moments of intense emotion or stress, to the activation inherent in children's play. Play promotes adaptation to uncertainty since it is itself unexpected and one cannot anticipate the course it will take.

Therefore, play promotes and increases cognitive and emotional versatilityespecially in times of loss of control and maximum stress. If in those moments when it seems that there is no way out and creativity gives an unexpected twist to the game that excites and frustrates, the dynamics of the game itself requires managing those emotions; in addition to continuing with the framework of the game, at times fun and at others perhaps frightening.

Social implications of play

One of the games to which more attention has been dedicated is the game of roles. This game leads us to play, to dream to be hero, villain, fireman, teacher, thief. Through the interpretation of characters, of different roles, children can develop empathy..

Empathy is that ability to see and experience the world from the eyes and shoes of the other, from the playmate, who can be in that created world, an atrocious enemy or a faithful ally.

Throughout this play interaction, the child learns to discover the motivations of others, to understand other perspectives and needs and to take them into account in their interrelationship.

Studies and research on play have shown the relationship between play and the ability to regulate the relationship between play and the ability to regulate and control behavior.. Preschool children who play more or more complex games score higher on several variables associated with self-regulation (Fantuzzo, Sekino, & Cohen, 2004).

Self-regulation, self-control are related to the ability to calm thoughts and emotions or control feelings, impulses or behaviors. And the ability to self-regulate is positively associated with good social and academic competence in childhood. in childhood.

A foundation on which to grow emotionally

Among the greatest advantages of the game we find the possibility of creating countless experiences full of positive emotions, joy, satisfaction, pride, happiness. Studies such as that of Carlson and Masters have shown the relevant role of positive emotions in the face of subsequent negative experiences. Positive emotions behave as a protective agent generating a relieving effect in the face of later negative experiences and emotions..

Thus, having experiences where positive emotions are experienced increases the possibility of issuing coping responses to adversity. (Tugade, Fredrickson and Barrett, 2004).

And as it could not be otherwise, the research evidences what the body knows and sometimes parenting habits deny and that is that play promotes prosocial, social, cognitive and emotional aspects of child development, especially when adults participate in their children's play, Fischer (1992).

Conclusion

Let's play, let them play, laugh, jump, cry and allow the energy of joy and life to be transmitted throughout their bodies and flood the houses and parks.

Yes, let's play, let's promote play with our children that involves interaction, connection, risks, challenges, rules, patience, and also No action.. Moments of boredom, with nothing to do, nothing to see, nothing to give at a clip, and let's make it easy for time to pass.

Let's look for times without screens and without technology where they discover and connect with each other and with the adults present. Let's be present without being omnipresent..

Author: Cristina Cortés Viniegra, Director of Vitaliza Psicología de la Salud. Psychologist specializing in Child and Adolescent.