By Amy Jayne Ramsey – Head of LANNA’s Early Years
Have you ever wondered what really happens when children play? At first glance, it might look like just fun and games, but if you watch closely, play is actually a powerful journey of discovery and growth. Children are miracles in this world, and everything they are fascinated by and naturally curious about should be treasured with care.
What does play help children discover?
There are so many benefits to early childhood play and its impact on children. These are just a few areas to think about when you observe your child playing and exploring their natural schematic learning styles.
The Spark of Curiosity:
Play invites children to ask questions, try new things, and imagine what could be. When a child builds a tower or pretends to be an explorer, they are exploring ideas and possibilities in their own unique way.
Friendship and Feeling Together:
When children play side by side or share stories in their make-believe world, they’re learning how to connect, listen, and understand each other. Play is where friendships grow like tiny seeds.
Finding Their Voice:
Through play, children practice telling their stories, sometimes with words, sometimes with gestures or drawings. It’s their way of sharing who they are and how they see the world.
Moving and Growing:
Have you noticed how play gets little bodies moving, climbing, jumping and balancing? Each movement is a step toward stronger muscles, better coordination, and confidence in their own abilities.
Emotions in Motion:
Play is a safe space for children to explore feelings, joy, frustration, excitement, and learn how to understand them through self regulation. It’s like a secret emotional space where they build resilience and courage.
In our Early Years spaces, we create places full of wonder and invitation, where natural materials, light, and open-ended resources spark curiosity, awe and wonder. We step back and watch, ready to join the adventure if invited, always honouring the child’s own path of discovery, their voice and natural curiosities and processes.
So next time you see a child deeply lost in play, pause for a moment and ask: What might they be learning? What world are they imagining? Because play is not just play, it’s the language of childhood curiosity, creativity, and connection.