The Feast Life

#57: An Occupational Therapist Weighs in on the Importance of Play with Sarah Collins


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Dec 09 2024 55 mins  
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In this episode of The Feast Life Julie Ross sits down with Sarah Collins, an occupational therapist and homeschooling mom, to discuss the powerful role of play in child development. Sarah explains that play is far more than just a break from learning; it's a critical avenue for children to build motor skills, social abilities, cognitive functions, and even self-awareness. They discuss the concept of "risky play" and its benefits, as well as how structured and unstructured play each support different aspects of a child's growth. Sarah also emphasizes the importance of play for mothers, sharing insights on how engaging in play themselves can boost mental well-being and model positive habits for their children.


 


Key Takeaways:


 



  1. Play as Foundational Learning: Play is essential for developing motor, social, and cognitive skills that form the foundation for academic and life skills. Through play, children naturally build executive functioning abilities like problem-solving, persistence, and flexibility.


 



  1. The Value of Risky Play: Allowing children to engage in "risky play" (e.g., climbing trees, handling safe tools) helps them learn their physical limits, develop confidence, and improve risk assessment. Parents can guide this by knowing their child's abilities and setting safe boundaries.


 



  1. Structured vs. Unstructured Play: While structured activities like sports provide valuable skills, unstructured play encourages self-motivation, creativity, and resilience, which are harder to cultivate in adult-directed settings.


 



  1. Emotional and Social Development Through Play: Play provides a safe environment for children to work on emotion regulation and social interactions, such as handling conflicts, negotiating roles, and building teamwork skills.


 



  1. The Role of Parents: Parents don’t need to constantly participate in their children's play. Observing or selectively joining can help maintain the child’s autonomy and focus. It’s also beneficial for parents to model playfulness and a willingness to try new things.


 



  1. Importance of Play for Parents: For mothers, engaging in play-like activities—whether dancing, exercising, or crafting—can relieve stress, improve self-awareness, and help maintain a balanced approach to parenting.


 


Connect with Sarah:



 


Resources Mentioned:


Visit thefeastlife.me/blog/57 for additional resources and links


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