Building Confidence in Young Children through Active Play
As educators and parents, we understand how important self confidence is in a child’s development. We strive to have a healthy self esteem ourselves to overcome challenges, accomplish our goals, and establish peer acceptance. Building that confidence at a young age allows children to be the best they can be at home, at school, and in their community. Active play is a fantastic way to help them do just that.
What are some of the ways active play builds confidence in young children?
Creates a safe environment for risk-taking and establishing goals
Children need to take risks, but we want to ensure those risks are taken in a safe place. Active play is a great way to do this–on a playground, on the monkey bars or perhaps inside on a balance beam! This is also an excellent opportunity for caregivers to encourage children to establish achievable goals and to grow in their developmental progress. Perhaps they get to the third monkey bar today, but in a few weeks, they can swing through all six!
Encourages development of social skills
By facilitating an inclusive play environment to help all feel safe in learning new skills and working with others, this empowers more timid children to feel comfortable and confident in trying new things. Working together in a shared task, watching others learn a new skill, and cheering each other on as they accomplish new goals is a great way to create this welcoming community. Active play invites all sorts of opportunities for taking turns, working through challenges, agreeing on rules, and including all abilities.
Encourages development of social skills
Active play not only fosters a healthy lifestyle, it also improves cognitive ability and develops essential life skills for success. Through all sorts of active play activities, young children flex that critical thinking, improve in social interactions, and even tap into their creative side! Active play empowers children to make decisions on their own and work to achieve goals–and in some cases, potentially fail along the way. Such important life lessons to grow.
Active play is obviously easy outside or in a playground setting, but that is not where it has to end! Especially in the winter months, it may be necessary to pull things inside. There are great ways to still incorporate activities to get the wiggles out within a classroom or home setting.
Need some inspiration? Check out Amanda over at @abalancedchildhood where she created a challenging yet super fun active play activity in her home using the stepping domes. Who doesn’t love The Floor is LAVA!!?
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