Every Little Thing! Birth & Beyond 360 Issue 16 | Page 16

As for older children, they will, according to their interest and needs, will know how to choose the right games and toys for them, with a little help from their parents.

The importance of playing with peers

Playing with their peers is essential, because of development of social skills. By playing with someone they are practicing positive interaction and verbal and non-verbal communication. When they are trying to obtain a certain role in a game of more participants, they are actually acquiring negotiation knowledge.

Their formative years are crucial to learning these “people skills”. Simple games of role playing may teach kids to embrace social rules, and show them the way of cooperating, compromising and approaching their peers the best way.

Every child in every part of the world has the need to play. No matter if the conditions allow him/her to play with an expensive toy bought from renowned toymaker, or with a paper plane and a doll made of clay. Without playing and toys, they would enter this world unprepared for all the challenges that await them.

Melissa Stevens is an eco-friendly DIY, design and fashion enthusiast, vegetarian and a mother of one cute boy (3), 2 Labradors and a cat :)

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