Play and Physical and Emotional Development

Physical Development

For many, play is epitomized by children running, climbing, jumping, and moving. The pure joy of these simple physical activities is warmly remembered. Children using their large muscles in these activities are strengthening their gross motor development (Gallahue, 1982). Beginning in infancy, children improve neuromuscular coordination through repeated use of their large muscles. Batting at a mobile as an infant, walking during early toddlerhood, running and climbing at the preschool level, and swinging and skipping in the primary years are all examples of how play enhances gross motor development.

Play activities also include use of smaller muscles for a variety of tasks. Fine motor development is refined through cutting, lacing, buttoning, painting, and writing experiences in play. Building with Legos, putting together puzzles, sand and water play, woodworking projects, play dough, and dressing dolls are additional examples of play activities that promote fine motor development.

As children mature, they use their muscles in continually more complex ways, integrating large and fine muscle movements with visual perception. Play allows frequent practice of these complicated actions. Hitting and catching a ball, jumping rope, playing hopscotch, and using the monkey bars are all examples of these more difficult coordinated movements. In addition, play allows children to develop a better awareness of body, space, and direction. As they move their bodies, children learn about up, down, in, out, over, under, left, right, and more as they climb, swing, crawl, and run. Playing in the gym or outdoors is particularly good for body awareness learning.