Types of Play and the Benefits in the Phase: Socioemotional Development in Early Childhood

Question:
What are the benefits and types of play? In your opinion is play encouraged for children in HK? Why or why not?

The benefits of play include "Good Health, tension release, master conflicts – Affiliation with peers , Cognitive development and exploration"

The types of play are:
(1) Sensorimotor - Exercising their "sensorimotor schemes".

(2) Practice - Activity done with repetitions in order to capture new skills

(3) Pretense/Symbolic - Transformation of physical activities to symbolic ones.

(4) Social - Social interaction with others

(5) Constructive - Trying to solve problems independently

(6) Games - Activities that are pleasurable, with rules.

I think play is important for children in HK. Kids seem to enjoy playing more than studying. Games are fun and exciting. Kids like to have fun and excitement. If the games involves engaging their physiology, most of the kids will be energized and becoming restless too. But they will be very engaged in gaming activities. Hence, I have a strong belief that if we want kids to achieve something, it can be done through games.


Answer Two:
Children's social and cognitive development during the early years is closely related to play activities. Play strengthens children to interact with their environment and learn from nature. Moreover, play is like a part of a community enabling children a better awareness and understanding of the needs of others (people). In HK, I opine that play is encouraged for children. HK children receive education from too much direct instruction. All work and no play make Jack a dull boy. Play permits children to burn off all their energy and keep their well-beings. In addition to the physical aspects of play, as mentioned above, play benefits children to develop social and motor skills. Parents are the first playmate of their children. It is strongly advised that parents should let their children lead the way of the play and try to be at children's eye-level. Just have fun!



Answer Three:
Children should lead the way in engaging parents in play. So often it is the parent that is one directing the play or recreational activity, leaving the child only to follow. So it is good to remind us of that.

For many families in HK i wonder if it is the parents that are the first playmates of the children. I wonder where domestic helpers fit into the equation and what your thoughts on that are regarding play?

Answer Four:
It's sad to see domestic helpers being the first playmate and even worse if parents never play with their kid/s. I have met a very rich family where the father tells the domestic helper this , "Please take care of the baby. My wife does not like babies!"

I think kids would surely look up to their parents as a role-model, first teacher,loving and kind protector. Parents have a shared-responsibility to take care of them. It will be disastrous to leave everything to the domestic helper. That seems to be more like neglect, especially from the kids' point of view.

Answer Five:

Some families in HK let domestic helpers parent their babies. In some cases, the bond with children of helpers are more intimate than that of parents. What will be the impact to children if significant other are not their parent? Examine it later in our program!

By Observe this "domestic helper as primary care-giver" phenomenon in Hong Kong, I find it quite sad as children are taken away their privileges to bond with their parents through playing and other regular interaction. My observation is that Hong Kong parents tend to encourage certain types of play and neglect a few others. I believe the importance of game is mostly neglected because it is a pleasurable event, which does not seem to bring apparent rewards that can contribute to academic achievement. Game is important not in the sense that it provides great opportunity for parents and children to bond in a pleasurable context, but through the rule of game, children learn to perseverance, the spirit of sports, accept failure and rebound from failure, which trains resilience in children to cope with future challenges. These are all psychological preparation that is essential in adapting successfully in a competitive society.

Further Questions:
As we have read, attachment is a vital element in development. How do you think the attachment process is altered, if at all, between a domestic helper and child versus biological parent and child?

Answer Six:

I think the child might be more attached with the domestic helper more than the parents. And if the domestic helper is not strict, there's a phenemena in Hong Kong where the child will treat the domestic helper more like a slave (Verbal & Physical abuse inclusive)...as seen with my very own eyes on the train!

Also, I wonder the effects of the children if raised by domestic helpers, because parenting is a privlege. I too know of children who have bonded with the helper versus the parents and it is the helper who the child wants to be comforted by. How does that effect the bonding and consequently the development.

There are certain types of play encouraged and other forms neglected. Even the term 'free play' where people simply hang out is such a challenge, for me too I admit, but so important. There are tremendous benefits to playing sports with our kids.