As a parent, you wear many hats: caregiver, chef, personal assistant, playmate and teacher. From the moment your little one is born, they look up to you to guide them through the world and help them learn about it.
And while it won’t always be easy (just wait for the terrible twos and adolescence), while your baby is brand new and you’ve already worked your way through the newborn checklist, their education shouldn’t feel like work. In fact, it should feel like play for you both. This is why it’s so important to play with your kids.
Your role as your child’s first teacher
First and foremost, your role as an educator involves providing a safe and nurturing environment for your baby. This means creating a space where they feel loved, supported, and free to explore their surroundings.
As your baby grows and develops, you can begin to actively engage with them and help them learn about the world. This might involve reading to them, singing songs and playing games that encourage them to use their senses and develop their cognitive and motor skills.
Play is a crucial part of a baby’s development. Through play, babies learn about the world around them, develop their cognitive and motor skills, and form social connections with others. Here are five ways play benefits your baby.
Teach your baby through play
Playing is a great way to bond with your little one while helping them develop important skills. Follow these tips for educational play time your baby will love.
Remember, playing with your baby is not about being perfect or doing everything right. It’s about spending quality time, having fun and helping your baby develop essential skills.
Susie Beghin wants to give children the best start in life. It’s why she founded Alpha’s Discovery Kids in 2012, a daycare and preschool dedicated to providing quality education and a positive learning environment. Within bright and cheerful classrooms and outdoor exploration spaces, little ones participate in Alpha’s Discovery Kids’ enriched curriculum, designed to develop the whole child.
By becoming an Early Childhood Educator, Susie was fulfilling her dream of owning her own education-focused daycare while helping children reach their full potential. Now, Susie shares the foundation of Alpha’s Discovery Kids’ beloved and celebrated inquiry-based curriculum in her new book, Learn to Play: The Four Pillars Learning System.
Learn to Play: The Four Pillars Learning System, a must-read for all parent-to-be or parents with young children! In the book, Susie shares her teaching method with parents and educators as a tool for learning both at home and in the childcare setting. For each pillar of learning, there are strategies on how to build skills as well as sample free-play and intentional play activities – by age group, from infants to preschoolers.
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