Anita Joshi is a board certified pediatrician and mother of two has been practicing in Crawfordsville since 1998. Crawfordsville Pediatric Center is located at 1901 Lafayette Ave. Suite 100, Crawfordsville. She can be reached at 765-361-3086.
Now that we have been back to school for almost one month, (I can’t believe that this is actually true) we at Joshi Pediatrics thought this would be a good time to bring up playtime.
Preschoolers and toddlers really do need to have time for play, as that is the best way for them to learn about the world and how to interact in it. We know that our society is pushing structured focused adult directed play but this may not be the best way to learn.
Young children need free outdoor play. They need time to develop their motor and language skills and this is often the best way to do that.
Preschool programs that offer unstructured free play spaces and opportunities for outdoor learning can have profound effects on children’s academic success later on. True play is fun, spontaneous and imaginative. It allows for children to explore their emotions in a safe and easy environment. It creates the opportunity to learn about social and emotional interactions that they will need throughout their lives.
With technology and screen time use increasing in toddlers, pediatricians are concerned that children are not getting the time they need to just be kids. The next time you think about handing your child your phone to keep them busy think about what else you might do instead. We at Joshi Pediatrics want to encourage young children and their parents to value playtime as a necessary developmental tool. Get out there and play.
