Play

This synthesis is funded by the Alberta Centre for Child, Family and Community Research.

Promotion of academic skills

Increasing evidence suggests that play provides a context for children to learn and improve their literacy skills. This is due to cognitive processes (problem solving, imaging, and categorizing) embedded in playful situations. Children engaging in sociodramatic play are usually better equipped to understand narratives in story books. This is partly due to their previous experiences in understanding others’ intentions and playing different pretend characters, as well as their regular exposure to sophisticated language.

Periods of free play and guided play are also associated with the development of executive function skills (i.e., skills related to problem solving, attention, and inhibition). This explains why children who play regularly tend to perform better in mathematics and reading in comparison to those who do not have opportunities to engage in play.

Promotion of social skills 

Other studies demonstrate that play contributes to the development of social competence by helping children:

• to regulate their emotions;
• to learn appropriate behaviours depending on the social context;
• to take turns when in group;
• to negotiate and understand others’ points of view (e.g., negotiating roles in play “you’ll be the mother, and I’ll be the daughter”), and
• to cope with distress.

All these skills contribute to social competences such as making friends and increasing children’s early school success.

See also...

• How important is it?
• What can be done?
• According to experts
• Key messages