Everyone knows that structured play can do wonders for your child’s social, cognitive, and academic development. However independent or free play is equally important in your little one’s early childhood development. Independent play is known to bring several benefits for your child in their formative years; many of which can stay with them for life.
Your child steps into primary school with ease
Young children who are used to playing independently tend to be more self-confident as they step into primary school. The creative and open-ended aspects of unstructured play promote independent problem-solving. It also allows children to easily form friendships with like-minded kids that value empathy, imagination, and creativity.
Your child becomes resilient, patient, and persistent
Through unstructured play, young children learn to experiment. In the process, they will arrive at creative solutions. You may find that if they get interested in a particular topic or activity, they will often not give up until they have satisfied their curiosity. The patience and persistence of the child develop; which happens because their motivations are not immediately influenced by a pre-established goal.
Your child becomes socially independent
Independent play encourages children to become more comfortable playing alone and it lessens the impact of peer pressure. It helps them to find their own path in later years without relying on social validation to fuel their self-esteem. Children grow into self-motivated and curious adults.
Your child becomes a better learner
Unstructured play promotes outside-of-the-box thinking. This can be positively channelled into your child’s early learning as creative iteration, concentration and problem-solving. This allows your child to focus on tasks with resilience, be comfortable with experimentation, and be explore their imagination to the fullest.