6 Play Activities That Are Better For Your Children

There are plenty of activities these days that are not so healthy or mentally stimulating for a child. And with parents facing the strain of a tight economy and even those who are well-off working to keep up with their lifestyle, parents aren't always around to guide children in the right direction. Add in less than ideal temptations of a modern world, and there are plenty of ways to go astray.

Indeed, there is no correlation between children who play violent games on the playground and young men who end up in jail. Children outgrow these games and find other places to place their energy, and the nature of their play is rarely if ever an indication of where they go from there. There are always exceptions, and common sense dictates when things have gone too far, but be careful to think that all aggressive play is a bad thing.Some parents, and even experts, may debate about whether or not violence in video games and on television can spill over into a child's life, but for me there's no question about it. Put a kid in front of a screen five hours a day, letting him run down the streets, pumping civilians full of bullets, and there's bound to be some strange things going on in their brain. I'm not saying all these kids will be the next school massacre, but the fact that those horrifying incidents are so prevalent now is very troubling�at the very least, be conscious of what you allow your kid to expose themselves to until they have the wisdom to make these choices on their own.A Minute Spent is a Minute GoneThe truth is that boys are naturally hard-wired for a certain degree of aggressive behavior, and many educators believe that restricting this is restricting healthy natural activity and may be a significant reason for the huge gap in intellectual development between girls and boys that has appeared in our schools. It appears that even the more aggressive forms of play are a chance for the child to act out their imagination, but even more than that, you'll find if you observe that when you break up an imaginary play session and restrict these children from playing aggressive roles, the energy and enthusiasm for the game is no longer sustainable.Music, much like art, is a great avenue for self expression. It can be a bit challenging for younger children with shorter attention spans, so don't push too much regimented practice in these earlier times. But that doesn't mean you can't let them do their own thing. A day will come when they'll want to find out more about what the instrument can do.I touched on this one a little bit in the last point when I mentioned sports, but let's look into a little further. Not only is all that time glued to the screen preventing the development of healthier habits, like shooting baskets or learning ballet, but it also negatively affects their health. Humans need sunshine, activity, fresh air�all things robbed from them by days in a room with a control stick in their hands.Some video games, even these days, are no more harmless than Bugs Bunny was for us as children. Others seem to have taken a much more sinister turn�with a level of realistic violence and sketchy morals being promoted that is rivaled by no other medium in history.With all these wild video games out there defying all of our senses, simply titillating and more entertaining than everything, nobody gives much thought to chess anymore. But it is and always will be a great game for testing and strengthening our thought processes.Finally, don't forget your child's need for exercise. Outdoor play as opposed to being crammed in a house day after day and never getting fresh air is extremely important. Show your children the rewards of an active lifestyle, and as they get older, they can transition into sports, which is one of the best ways to give them a solid foundation for their physical, emotional, and social lives.Psychologists go even further to suggest that role of a hero gives children a chance to act out their inner desires for building moral ideals into true ideals. Boys have an inherent need to be dominant and to control a situation by separating the good from the bad, and often that comes in the form of an antagonist.6. Outside Play2. PuzzlesIn the same way, puzzles encourage problem-solving. There are all kinds of great puzzles that improve cognitive processes, from jigsaw puzzles to mind benders to Sudoku.Here are 6 play activities that are simply good for your child.

Finally, don't forget your child's need for exercise. Outdoor play as opposed to being crammed in a house day after day and never getting fresh air is extremely important. Show your children the rewards of an active lifestyle, and as they get older, they can transition into sports, which is one of the best ways to give them a solid foundation for their physical, emotional, and social lives.

Author: James Druman