Many parents today know very well that children’s play fosters their physical social, emotional, cognitive and language development. Yet, they do not give their full support. They tend to worry that children are not learning when they are playing. They regard play as mere fun and believe that children only learn the important things when they participate in formal lessons. Some parents’ compromise by allowing their children to play only what is deemed ‘educational’. 
Children need to play in a spontaneous and unstructured way. They can take on various roles and try out different ways of doing things. There is no specific rule set in children’s play. If rules are part of the play, they are set by the children themselves. In other words, adults cannot tell children what to do in play and control the learning outcomes when they allow children to play freely. 
Child professionals such as doctors, counselors, psychologists and teachers are becoming increasingly concerned about the lack of free play in the lives of our children today. Primary school-age children have hectic classroom schedules before and after school. Young toddlers’ daily lives are packed with stimulating educational lessons. Parents are rushing to enroll their infants to baby genius schools. 
When asked what fun is, most children give a similar response: watching television and playing computer games are their favourites. Children are not creating anything using their own ideas in play. I have observed many preschoolers playing themes from the latest Disney movie or action-packed cartoon series. They become super-heroes or kung-fu stars. 
When children are exposed to harmful gender, racial or cultural stereotyping from the media, they tend to imitate these role-models in their pretend play. Their minds are limited to the images which they have picked up. They need to be free of biases and prejudices, so that they can try out diverse roles in their pretend-play.
Children gain positive learning experiences from pretend-play with themes that are family-related or school related. When they pretend to be Superman or Kim Possible, their play is predictable and restricted. For some children, their pretend-play can become violent and aggressive. 
Without play in children’s lives, there is no childhood left for them. Play is the child’s right. In play, children can explore and discover things in life beyond what adults can teach them. When they play, they begin to understand themselves and other people in their lives better. They develop a sense of belonging and are able to do problem-solving. I believe that play nourishes the mind, body and soul of the child. 
Parents must start trusting their instincts to do what is right by their child. There is a time for formal learning and doing the academics in the child’s life. This will have to come when children are ready to so. They need time to develop their confidence and coping skills. If the opportunity to play during the early years is replaced by formal and structured learning, children may never be able to recover this ability to do what comes naturally to them. 
Parents need to make time for free play with children. The younger the child, the more the attention needed for spontaneous play. Let your child play without constant interruptions and directions. If he wants to know something, he will ask for help. It should be his time to know what to do. Take a supporting role.
When choosing toys for your child, make sure they are safe and child-friendly. These days, parents fall into the trap of getting high-tech toys for children that only require them to push a button or respond to the toy. For children to use their imagination, they need to make and dismantle the toy. Provide children with more open-ended materials that encourage creativity. 
Cut down on television-viewing time. Better still, do not let young children watch television for more than half an hour a day. According to American Pediatrics Association, children under two years old are not advised to spend long periods of time watching television. They need real life experiences and real people to teach them things.
Parents should always be their first teachers. We should give them positive role-models to imitate them in play. They can take the right ideas about the world from us. We must not let Barney or Sesame Street’s Big Bird replace us in such an important task. 
Get involved in your child’s play. When you take a supporting role, you can also provide the language for your child to use. When he asks you to be his customer and make an order, you can say, “You want me to patronize your restaurant. I will be most happy to try out your yummy food. Tell me what is on the menu.”
You can also help them to expand their play by providing ample and suitable props. If they like to do buying and selling, you can collect all the recycled grocery boxes and tins to set up shop.
You can show that you value play when you take an interest in your child’s play. If you are not interrupting, you can ask a few questions to find out what she is doing. Children like the idea of parents seeking answers from them. This role-reversal can greatly boost their self-esteem and encourage their learning. 
Create playful experiences for your children without spending too much money or preparations. Sometimes all it takes to make a successful play experience is for a parent and a child to exchange ideas and have a good laugh while interacting with each other. **Article adopted from Ms Ruth Liew, Early Childhood Care And Education Consultant
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