Why Independent Play-Time Is Important for child

Importance of Independent Play-Time

As part of their childcare curriculums, many pre-schools and school age programs steer children into independent play. The reason for doing so isn’t that caregivers wish to take a break from their supervisory roles. In fact, where necessary, varying degrees of professional supervision does occur, even during solitary play. But the reason that children are encouraged to explore independent play is due to the numerous benefits solo play offers:

A child’s need for independent play isn’t something to be concerned about or frowned upon. In fact, child psychologists and researchers have developed proven theories about how children play – “Parten’s 6 Stages of Play Theory[i]” – that includes solitary play. This is the type of play one observes when a child just plays with toys or other objects by themselves, seemingly oblivious to the environment or others around him/her. That’s normal behavior!

Typically, when a child engages in many forms of group play, such as field games, board games, or other multi-player rules-based games, there’s a limited aspect of creativity. The same is true when adults play with kids so they can bond with them. Kids often feel some obligation to play within those parameters (rules) because everyone else is doing the same.

When kids are steered to independent play, there’s a greater license for creativity and imagination. Because no one else judges them on the rules, and no one else can define the parameters of the play, it fosters greater degree of imagination. They can make up the rules, characters, situations – and even the outcomes of the game.

Here’s a rather counterintuitive concept: Independent play helps a child develop better social skills! Let’s explore that thought. During adult-supervised play, children tend to “cling” to, and depend upon, the adults in and around them. Consequently, they tend to shy away from other forms of social ties – such as playing with other kids who are more independent in how they play.

Preschool age programs that encourage independent play help kids break out of that social barrier, and let them know that it’s okay to play with other children, even if an adult isn’t present to supervise that interaction. Independent play is oftentimes used as a prelude to children joining a broader group for team activities. Kids who play solo soccer for instance, will eventually see how much more fun playing a game of soccer is when played with others, rather than just playing alone!

How often have we, as adults, taken a break from our busy lives, and taken some time for ourselves. It calms and recharges us! It’s the same in a child’s world. Because a child finds independent play a peaceful and soothing activity, it can calm them when they’re feeling stressed.

When adults are supervising children – it’s often the case that grownups quickly step in to “assist” when there’s a problem. For instance, parents quickly help a child who encounters a challenging jigsaw puzzle. The result: It stymes the kids’ natural ability to solve the issue themselves. During independent playtime, the child is forced to come up with a solution to any challenges they might encounter, thus honing their problem-solving skills.

With no one else to turn to during an independent play session, a child relies on their own determination to move things along in their games. For instance, kids in school age programs might need help with a video game. But, since there’s no one else to turn to, the child might try repeatedly to resolve the situation themselves, making them more persistent in dealing with other life’s situations (beyond play).

And while these are just a few benefits of independent play, for your child, there’s also one very significant benefit for adults and child careers. Typically, when overseeing children play, adults constantly monitor every activity closely…just in case! This often leaves the parent or caregiver exhausted, both mentally and physically. Supervising playtime can sometimes be emotionally draining – and there lies an often-forgotten benefit of independent play for adults.

Once children are accustomed to playing alone – safely – it gives adults the opportunity to destress and take time for themselves. This, by no means suggests a totally “hands off” approach to supervising children during play time. However, since there’s no need to “helicopter parent” a child when they’re playing alone, it does give caregivers an opportunity for some much needed respite during the day – however brief that might be.