What really happens when we play?

"Mommy, can I go play!" this is a statement we all hear every day, most of the day.

What do children actually learn while they play? Let's break down a few ideas. Because our adult brains forget how to play and that's why we get old.

When your child plays with dolls, stuffed animals, or action figurines, they:

• mimic behaviors from home, school or TV

• use imagination to create scenarios

• use social skills to have back-and-forth conversations

• life skills to dress, clean, shop and work

When your child plays with blocks, cars and people, they:

• measure, compare, build, count and experiment

• understand cause and effect

• build relationships

• create scenarios

When your child plays with puzzles, sorters, stackers, or Legos, they:

• problem solve

• critically think

• use their creativity

• learn eye hand coordination and small gross motor skills

• regulate and learn patience

When your child plays with water and/or sand, they:

• scoop, pour, sift, measure, and dump

• learn terms like empty, full, measure, overfilled, add more

• spill, clean, sweep, and control messes

• learn day to day life skills

When they look at books or books are read to them, they:

• understand letters make words

• words have meaning

• build vocabulary

• learn and understand emotions

• hear inflection

• ask questions

• understand story lines

• create imaginative stories in their heads

• understand pictures have meaning

• understand the pictures connect to the words

• strengthen their cognitive ability

Just looking at the basics, you can see where I am going with this. Children learn by playing, doing, creating and exploring. Now don't mistake what I'm saying, you don't need a huge playroom filled with wall-to-wall toys and books to create genius. Give a child an empty box, and some crayons and watch them create their own genius. But children learn through play. Structured and unstructured play. Both types of play are important to their development in all forms.

• Language and literacy

• math and science

• creativity and critical thinking

• social skills and executive functioning

• emotional intelligence and mental awareness

• life skills and hard work

• regulation and patience

When your child comes to you and says "mommy I'm bored" tell them "let's go play!" and watch your own childhood re-spark a love you forgot you had. Think of Andy in Toy Story and go play.