Learning Through Play at Home: 5 Things Every Parent Should Know

All parents want to see their children thrive in the classroom, but did you know that learning through play at home could help them at school?

There are various expert studies that support that children’s brains do, in fact, develop through play.

Play is so important that it’s recognised as a right by the United Nations Commission for Human Rights. Further, according to the American Academy of Pediatrics, play has been called “the work of children,” and in a 2017 study, it was found that through play, children are constantly learning and developing a variety of skills.

Play can be a bonding experience between children and their parents, bringing them closer together, while ensuring the growth of their skills across several areas of development. There are no rules! Structured or free-play, self-directed or purposeful – all kinds of play will contribute to the physical, cognitive and emotional wellbeing of your child.

Wonderdal takes play seriously, it’s a magical, colourful world of creativity and learning. It’s the ideal venue for family-friendly adventures in the Winelands. Click here to book a spot for your family today.

So let’s take a look at how learning through play can be fostered at home:

1. Play develops cognitive skills

Cognitive development is the child’s ability to learn and solve problems. Children at play are constantly creating, experimenting, solving problems, thinking and learning.

You can encourage your child to develop these skills by playing games together. Puzzles are a great activity to develop cognitive skills, as they require concentration, effort and perseverance to complete.

Playing outside is a wonderful way for children to enjoy fresh air and exercise. But did you know that outdoor play isn’t only fun, it is also essential for cognitive development? Outdoor play stimulates multiple senses, helps sharpen attention and increase attention span, decreases stress, improves executive function and improves spatial knowledge.

At Wonderdal we believe strongly in the benefits of outside play, one of our unique play areas is the Wildlands where children play freely and challenge their physical aptitude. You can click here to book a spot for your children.

2. Play hones fine motor skills

Fine motor skills involve the use of the smaller muscles of the fingers and hand for activities like playing with constructing blocks, using a pencil or a pair of scissors, and buttoning up one’s clothes.

Painting helps strengthen your child’s hand-eye coordination and manual dexterity. Younger children will love getting messy with finger painting, while older children can hone their skills with a paintbrush.

We love the Djeco toys, which have been specifically designed to encourage children’s discovery of learning through play. Wooden and cardboard jigsaws , original craft kits that revolutionised this well-loved pastime, this range of toys has something or every imagination and passion.

Older children who are interested in science and geology will enjoy growing their own crystals with the 4M Crystal Growing Experiment. This fun and luminous chemistry experiment allows your budding enthusiast to grow beautiful crystals that glow in the dark.

We love this experimental toy so much that we stock these at our shop at Wonderdal, so on your next visit come and get one for your little ones to start experimenting with growing crystals at home.

3. Play fosters social and emotional development

Social and emotional development is essential for everyday life and for school readiness. These abilities include paying attention to adults, transitioning easily from one activity to the next, and cooperating with other children.

Ball games are a simple way to teach younger children to build relationships. Rolling or passing a ball back and forth is an easy way to show how to take turns.

If you’re looking for something unique, fun and educational to do this weekend, we’re currently running weekend workshops, the perfect way to keep your kids entertained. Click  here to find out more. 

4. Play develops speech and language

Language and speech development is an essential part of your child’s growth as it supports your child’s ability to communicate, and helps them understand and express their emotions.

A fun way for young children to learn language is through singing songs. You can make up simple songs, or sing your heart out to a classic favourite, like “baa baa black sheep.”

Books are another way to strengthen language skills and a great way to introduce your child to new words, ideas and themes.

We’re passionate about books. The Story Caves at Wonderdal offer cosy nooks where kids can curl up with one of our 700 books on an imaginative journey of discovery or listen to podcasts about the life adventures of the Amuki.

In fact, Wonderdal is running some super fun holiday clubs over December, click here to find out more.

5. Play develops gross motor skills

Gross motor skills are abilities that allow children to use the large muscles in the legs, arms and torso to complete whole-body movements. Gross motor skills are important in helping children to perform everyday activities, such as running, climbing, participating in sport, and self-care skills like dressing and climbing into and out of a car.

Outdoor play is one of the best ways to strengthen these muscles. So dust off the bicycles and scooters and head out for a ride to your local playground where they can enjoy free play in the fresh air.

Wonderdal Interactive Edutainment Centre

Wonderdal’s magical world is packed with fun activities for kids, with the opportunity to learn through play as young adventurers explore a world of edutainment packed with interactive games, immersive experiences and outdoor adventure.

We boast seven interactive learning zones that are aimed at fostering children’s creativity & curiosity and promote knowledge and skills across a variety of educational themes.

If you’re looking for something fun and educational to do with the kids that also offers caring, trained Wonderpal supervision, then please click the button below to book some time with us.