PLAY

OFFICIAL PLAY PARTNER OF TODAY’S PARENT

e summer of play

Believe it or not, the simple act of play is essential for keeping minds and bodies active and thriving until class is back in session.

SCHOOL’S OUT, but that doesn’t mean the learning stops, too! There are plenty of excellent ways to keep your kids engaged over the summer so they continue to learn and grow—while still having fun. This year, especially, is a golden opportunity for a summer of play, where kids can develop physical, emotional and intellectual abilities. Here are some ideas for encouraging that healthy play.

MAKE MEMORIES WITH TABLETOP GAMES Math, logic, spelling, reading, strategy, collaboration, improvisation, pattern recognition—this is just a sampling of the skills that games can help to foster. Whether you’re trying out a card game, arranging tiles, rolling dice or playing a new or classic board game, there’s lots of fun and learning to be had. Games can also boost social skills, as children learn about sharing, taking turns, coping with losing and flexibility. And, of course, family game night is a great counterpoint to screen time.

SPLASH AROUND Not only is water play a wonderful way to cool off and spend time outside, it also offers lots of developmental benefits, including promoting fine motor skills like grasping and scooping. For younger kids in particular, water play at a water table gives them hands-on learning: Does this sink or float? What happens when you swirl the water? Where did that bubble go? Water play can also be a soothing downtime activity.

GET GARDENING Gardening and kids is a winning combination. While they’re getting their hands grubby with dirt and learning how to work with tools, kids are also supporting their mental health, relieving stress and developing a sense of responsibility and accomplishment. Growing things and being outside fosters a love of the natural world. Using tools helps develop fine motor skills, plus kids get an active workout as they dig and carry. There’s even research that shows that kids who grow their own fresh produce are more likely to eat veggies, both now and as young adults.

STOCK UP ON STEM STEM activities (science, technology, engineering and math) are an excellent way for kids to support their natural curiosity, problem-solving and critical-thinking skills, and perseverance. Even preschoolers with famously short attention spans are able to

KID-APPROVED

Kids, parents and caregivers will love these activities that keep on delivering fun (and learning, too!) day a er day.

This kit has everything you’ll need to grow your own pizza toppings— tomatoes, basil and peppers. Yum!

CREATIVITY FOR KIDS PIZZA GARDEN, $20, MASTERMINDTOYS.COM

This exciting water-play set is a great way for li le ones to splash around and learn all about how water works.

AQUAPLAY AQUALAND, $100, MASTERMINDTOYS.COM

Channel that energy on an indoor day with this active game that suits a variety of age groups.

THE FLOOR IS LAVA!, $30, MASTERMINDTOYS.COM

stay focused and engaged when they encounter the right STEM activity. Helping kids get interested in how the world works is one of the keys to stronger math, science and reading skills later on as well. Plus, you don’t need a lab: At-home kits, kitchen ingredients and the contents of the recycling bin are all easy ways to get a young scientist’s mind going.

SPARK IMAGINATION WITH PRETEND PLAY “Say we’re dinosaurs exploring the jungle….” “What if we could live in that tree?” Pretend play is quite simply acting out stories and scenarios with a variety of perspectives and emotions, and it’s a form of play that lasts through a large part of childhood. While it’s a powerful way to enrich creativity and curiosity, it also plays a big role in fostering empathy, communication, problem-solving and expressing emotions. Imagine that! –Bonnie Schiedel