Skip to main navigation Skip to content
First Five Years logo First Five Years logo
Watch videos
Please enter a search term

Share

Articles about Play

Filtered Articles

Group of children playing with blocks

Child Development

Letting your child lead play: activities for children 0-6 years

Child-led or child-directed play means following your child’s lead in play. It means watching your child and responding to what your child says or does to keep their attention focused a little bit longer. Following your child’s lead is good because your child learns best when they’re interested in an activity. When you follow your child’s lead in play, you can take advantage of things that interest your child to help them learn something new through play.

Read more

girl on couch patting dog

Lifestyle

Children with family pets reap benefits

Owning a family pet can help improve and promote your child's social, emotional and physical development, according to researchers who have found owning a four-legged friend isn't just fun, but also a valuable addition to your child's life.

Read more

Child Development

Singing activity for children: songs in a second language

Singing is a fun way to help your child learn and remember words and sentence structure in a second language. When your child sings songs with repeated words or choruses, they get a lot of practice with new words and sentence structures. This helps your child remember these new words. Songs with a cultural or personal significance – for example, songs passed down in your family – can have extra meaning for your child.

Read more

Child Development

Why is play important?

Play is central to your child’s learning and development. When your child plays, it gives them many ways and times to learn.

Read more

Play

Childhood games and toys

Why are games and toys important in childhood? Toys and games can be an important part of children’s play, and play is central to children’s learning and development.

Read more

Early Learning

The serious business of imagination

Maggie Dent is one of Australia’s most popular parenting authors and educators. In this article she looks at why imagination matters not just in childhood, but in our adult lives.

Read more

Early Learning

Why children need to play with friends

Play can be easily dismissed. After all, how important can playing tea party be? Experts would argue that it’s extremely important. Children who successfully engage in peer play at preschool are more likely to experience better mental health, later on.

Read more

Two children playing on the floor

Early Learning

Exploring play through the gender lens

Play helps shape our child's sense of identity. Maggie Dent, one of Australia’s most popular parenting authors and educators, shines a light on our unconscious biases and how they may reinforce gender stereotypes for boys and girls during play.

Read more

Find more articles by tag