STORY Kait Cummins, Occupational Therapist, The Play Project

Play is, ‘to engage in activity for enjoyment and recreation rather than a serious or practical purpose’.

Children learn best through play, and the best kind of play is unstructured, outdoor play, where adults are in the background and kids make up the rules and learn for themselves.

Playing in nature provides the sensory input to keep them feeling calm whilst inspiring their creativity, encouraging risk-taking and getting their bodies moving, all of which are essential to healthy development.

Two to three hours of active play (huffing and puffing) every day is important for healthy development, and the best toys are everyday objects that kids find around the house or yard as these inspire creativity and imagination.

Keep it simple, they may find it hard at first but learning to play independently is a skill that will set them up for life.

Need some help? why not come along to our nature playgroup check out the details here

Want more information about play and develop why not check out our easy to watch online programs.