When Was the Last Time You Just Played With Your Child?
Parents often think they need to teach, organise, correct or entertain their children. Sometimes the most valuable thing they can do is simply get on the floor and play.
Play gives a child something precious: their parent's undivided attention.
Ten minutes of shared play can say to a child:
“You matter to me. I enjoy being with you. I have time for you.”
That sense of connection can support emotional well being, reduce stress, strengthen the parent-child relationship and give children a safe space to laugh, talk and simply be themselves.
Consider:
Play is a child's language. Sometimes children will tell you more while playing than they ever will sitting down for a conversation.
When parents play with their children, they aren't wasting time—they are investing in the relationship.
A child may not remember the expensive toy you bought, but they will remember the afternoon you sat on the floor and played with them.
Play creates a little island in a busy child's life where there are no tests, no expectations and no pressure—just connection.
Laughter is good for children and good for parents too. Shared laughter can turn an ordinary moment into a treasured memory.
Your child doesn't need you to perform. They simply need you to join them.
Sometimes the best mental-health support a child can receive is a parent who says, “Come on, let's play.”
Get physical: Have a pillow fight, play chase, kick a ball or dance around the lounge room.
Get creative: Draw together, build with Lego, make something from cardboard, paint, cook or create a silly invention.
Play old-fashioned games: Cards, board games, hide-and-seek, marbles or “I spy.”
Play with words: Make up ridiculous stories, invent funny characters, tell jokes or take turns adding a sentence to an imaginary adventure.
Go outside: Look for bugs, throw a frisbee, make mud pies or simply lie on the grass and look at the clouds.
Play doesn't just make childhood happier. It helps build the emotional connection from which confident, secure and resilient children grow.
“Have fun play with your child, both of you will be rewarded”