Claudia Gardner, Gleaner Writer

Children engaging each other in tug-o-war. - Contributed

WESTERN BUREAU:

The value of play to the young child was emphasised during the Ministry of Education's Early Childhood Unit's parenting workshop, held in Montego Bay last Wednesday.

The workshop was staged in observance of Parent Month under the theme 'Parenting right from the start - learning through play'.

Retired assistant chief education officer for Early Childhood Education, Norma Hayles, said play provides opportunities for learning to control impulsive behaviour. She said play encourages children to substitute 'pretend objects' for real ones, which helps them to separate thought from concrete objects.

Development

"Play helps children to develop cognitively, morally, socially and mentally," Hayles said. "In interacting, they learn about how others feel; their fine muscles are developed so they are able to write and the brain is stimulated by interacting with each other through the playing of games."

She said parents have an obligation to ensure that children are involved in manipulative play (use of the hands) from the toddler stage, and should join the children's play, by listening, supporting or assisting.

"Play is very crucial and so parents need to know the value of play, and they too should play with the children when at home."

Education officer of the Ministry of Education's Region Four, Portia Downie, said the purpose of the conference was twofold: to show appreciation to parents who supported their respective early childhood institutions and to educate parents on the different ways in which they can help to protect their children.

"Parents were expected to learn ways to use play to help their children to develop, not just regular running and playing but educational play," she said.

One parent, Onesia Green, of Stone Henge in St James said she would be applying the lessons learnt from the workshop to interact with her four-year-old daughter in future.

"I look at things differently now. Kids need to have more time to play - in an educational way," she said.

These children took pleasure in posing for our camera while roving at the Emancipation Park recently. - Nathaniel Stewart/Freelance Photographer

POSITIVE Parenting