Priya-the-OT

  We looked at the different stages a child goes through while developing through play. Those stages are commonly referred to as the 'Social stages of Play Development' and they are important and vital to your child's social development. At the same time, Play Development is also classified according to type or nature of play behaviour. These 'Types of Play' also largely contribute to a child's development and learning.  Children’s play activities mainly fall under two main categories: Structured Play and Unstructured Play.  Structured Play : Like the name suggests, Structured play, is goal-oriented play, or 'play with a purpose' kind of activity which is generally adult-led or supervised. It may involve a specific task that would help a child learn a new skill. eg: an ADL activity like buttoning, tying a shoe lace, etc, or a specific learning objective like days of the week, or colours of the rainbow.  Structured play involves following rules or instr

It is not an uncommon fact that children learn through play. The only occupation of a young child is play and almost all stages of development that he/she goes through has play as the key element.  What is Play and why is it important in Child Development?  Very simply put, 'play' is a time when we are having fun. Actually it’s more than just fun and games! Play is where a child is being creative and spontaneous. It is where he/she learns to form ideas and act upon them.  Play is important because it is the medium that helps children learn about themselves and the world around them. Play allows them to explore different interests and passions, and encourages interactions, sharing, and socialization to help develop social-emotional skills. Children begin learning life skills through play. Occupational Therapy in Pediatrics is all about play.  Stages of Play Play evolves in stages, and you may notice that the way children interact with toys, other children and adults, and even wi