As children, we all loved to play. But, what happened? Why is it that playing with our own children is sometimes so… unpleasant?
The demands of daily life, such as work responsibilities, financial concerns, and household chores, can consume a significant portion of our time and mental energy. As these obligations pile up, activities like playing with our children can feel like another chore.
Plus, play can be exhausting! Imaginative play as a kid was amazing and wonderful and nostalgic. Imaginative play as an adult – completely draining. I think parents everywhere can mostly agree that we’d almost always rather be binge watching our next show than playing make-believe. Personally, I enjoy participating in activities with my child – drawing, building, board games – but, he would rather assign me a character to play while he chases me around with a sword. Hard pass.
Despite all of these obstacles, playing with your child can be a wonderful way to bond, create lasting memories, and nurture their development. So let’s talk about some ways to make playing with your child fun and engaging for both of you:
Rotate activities
Play with children, especially young children, can be repetitive as they tend to enjoy enacting the same imaginative routine over and over again. Avoid monotony by rotating toys or activities regularly. Take a few (or half) of their toys and hide them away for a bit. Then, next month, rotate these out to keep playtime exciting and novel.
Rediscover interests and hobbies
Revisit the hobbies and activities you enjoyed as a child or explore new ones with your child that pique your interest. Whether it's painting, dancing, playing a musical instrument, or sports, these activities can reignite your sense of fun. Ask yourself – what did I enjoy playing as a child? Can you recreate these play routines by modeling them with your own child?
Change the scenery
Sometimes a change of environment can work wonders for playtime. While it is important to create a play “area” so children are able to access toys and use their imagination, a change of scenery can support them in creating new play routines. Get outside or rotate toys from the playroom to the living room. Bonus tip: Combine toys as you rotate them to encourage creativity! Use blocks to build houses for your child’s stuffed animals or take small character toys on a train ride. Then, rotate the character toys to their bedroom and play hide and seek with them. Same toys, new play!
Take the supportive role
Imaginative play can be some of the most challenging play for adults. When your child is engaging in imaginative play and you are struggling for motivation, take on the supportive role in the cast. For example, be the store keeper – ask your child to gather some dolls or stuffed animals while you collect a bunch of items to “sell” to each doll/animal. Put your child in the role of the main character while you play along easily handing over sold items and collecting high-fives for payment.
Create a challenge
Get creative by inventing new challenges in boring, repetitive play routines. Sometimes, children like to play the same play routines many times, over and over, which can be boring for adults. When you engage in these repetitive play schemes, challenge yourself with something just a little different each time. For example, if your child likes to play with the same building blocks every time you play, create a challenge to build identical structures OR use all the square blocks OR use all of the blocks to build one tower. Adults tend to enjoy novelty and “puzzles” and this can help you engage in boring routines with your child.
Although play might not be the most enjoyable activity for parents, creating enjoyable, meaningful experiences is important for bonding and development. Remember that the most important aspect of playing with your child is the connection you build together. Be present, listen, and enjoy the moment. Find activities that align with your interests and energy levels, and seek support from partners, family members, or friends to share the responsibility of play. Playtime can be a beautiful opportunity to strengthen your parent-child relationship while having lots of fun.
Comments