The concept of a Balanced Play Diet, similar to a balanced nutritional diet, emphasises the importance of a well rounded play experience for children. Just as a healthy diet involves balancing different food groups, a balanced play diet involves balancing various types of play activities. This approach encourages children’s holistic development, helping them grow physically, emotionally, socially and cognitively.

The Importance of Who Children Play With

Balancing Social and Solitary Play

A crucial aspect of balanced play is the type of social interaction involved. Ideally, children should have a balance between playing alone and playing with others, with a greater emphasis on social play, particularly with peers. Playing with other children fosters important life skills like communication, negotiation, compromise and empathy, all of which are crucial for navigating social situations.

Child-led play without adult intervention also allows children to develop essential problem solving and conflict resolution skills. If adults constantly mediate play, children miss opportunities to negotiate conflicts, decide whose turn it is, or resolve other issues on their own. These experiences are vital for building independence and resilience. However, adult participation in play still has its place, which we will explore later.

Playing with Different Age Groups

While children often gravitate towards peers of their own age, playing with children of different ages offers distinct developmental benefits. Younger children benefit from playing with older peers by learning new skills, seeing different perspectives and challenging themselves in new ways. Older children, meanwhile, learn leadership, responsibility and patience through mentoring younger peers. They also strengthen their own understanding of concepts by explaining or demonstrating them to younger children.

Playing with Diverse Peers

Diversity in play is also important. When children play with peers of varying abilities and backgrounds, they learn to appreciate individual differences and adapt their play style to include everyone. This fosters empathy, flexibility and inclusivity. Interacting with children from different cultural and social backgrounds promotes tolerance and understanding, challenging stereotypes and encouraging children to think more openly.

The Value of Adult Interaction in Play

Playing with adults, whether parents, grandparents or caregivers, offers unique growth opportunities. Children learn important behaviours, communication skills and problem solving strategies from adults. For example, adults can guide children to try different approaches during building activities or help them navigate complex emotions through roleplay. The skills learned in adult-child play, such as patience, taking turns and following rules, can later be applied to peer interactions.

The Importance of What Children Play

The Balanced Play Diet is also about ensuring a diverse range of play activities. The Play Pyramid provides a useful model to guide this balance.

Active and Imaginative Child-Led Play: The Superfoods of Play

At the top of the Play Pyramid are active and imaginative child-led activities, which are considered the ‘superfoods’ of the Play Diet. These activities allow children to explore, create and express themselves freely, without rigid rules. Active play, like running or climbing, helps children develop physical skills and release energy, promoting physical health and fitness. Imaginative play, such as roleplay or constructing imaginary worlds, supports cognitive and social development by encouraging critical thinking, problem solving and emotional expression.

Board Games, Construction and Creative Play

Moving down the Play Pyramid, we find activities such as board games, construction, and creative play. These activities still offer developmental benefits but should take up less time than active, child-led play. Board games, for instance, enhance problem solving skills and strategic thinking while teaching children about social interaction, turn taking and patience. Construction activities, like building with blocks or Lego, promote fine motor skills, spatial awareness and perseverance. Creative play, such as arts and crafts, nurtures emotional intelligence, self-expression and imagination.

Educational Toys and Quiet Play

Further down the Play Pyramid are educational toys and quiet play activities. These include toys designed to teach specific skills, such as puzzles or science kits, which help children develop problem solving abilities and encourage independent thinking. Quiet, solitary play allows children to build emotional resilience and self-reliance, helping them become more comfortable with their own company.

Screen Time: The ‘Sweets and Treats’ of Play

At the bottom of the Play Pyramid is passive screen time, which should be limited but not entirely eliminated. While excessive screen time can be detrimental, some digital activities, such as educational apps or interactive video games, can foster creativity, social interaction or physical activity. It’s essential to balance screen time with more active, imaginative and social play to ensure a well rounded play diet.

The Importance of Where Children Play

The Benefits of Outdoor Play

Outdoor play is often considered the ‘superfood’ of play environments. When children play outdoors, they benefit physically by running, climbing and engaging in other physical activities that strengthen muscles, improve coordination and boost overall health. Adequate exposure to sunlight also provides Vitamin D, which supports bone health and immune function.

Beyond physical health, outdoor play fosters creativity and independence. In natural settings, children are free to invent games and explore the environment, building essential skills such as initiative, problem solving and risk assessment. The sensory rich experiences of outdoor play – feeling different textures, smelling nature and moving freely – also enhance learning and memory retention.

The Role of Indoor Play

While outdoor play is crucial, indoor play also has its advantages. Indoor environments offer a calmer and more controlled setting, which can help children focus and concentrate. Activities such as board games, puzzles and reading often take place indoors, supporting cognitive development and allowing children to engage deeply with their play.

Indoor play can happen throughout different rooms, from creative messes in the kitchen to imaginative fort building in the dining room. Even everyday activities like bath time can be playful learning experiences, fostering confidence and communication.

Creating a Well Rounded Play Experience

A Balanced Play Diet ensures that children engage in a variety of play activities with different types of social interactions, settings and purposes. By encouraging children to play both indoors and outdoors, with peers of different ages and backgrounds and to engage in active, imaginative, and educational activities, educators can support the development of the whole child, equipping them with the skills needed to thrive both in school and in life.