Play is often associated solely with activities undertaken for entertainment purposes. However, it forms the basis of all educational and upbringing activities in working with children. Not without reason is the preschool age called the age of play.

Play is a fundamental human activity, conducive to comprehensive development. From the age of 4 months, a child begins to play with their fingers. Around the 10th month of life, the first imitative games appear. The child observes the movements of adults and attempts to reproduce them.

At the age of 2, constructive play begins to play an important role in children's activities. The preschool age is a period of very intense development of children's play.

It also begins to play a very important social role because at the age of 3-4 years, children start playing with each other, rather than as previously – alongside each other.

In preschool education, we distinguish directed games, such as didactic and music-movement games. These are games that have specific rules and are conducted under the supervision of a teacher.

The second group is free play, such as manipulative games undertaken spontaneously and without the participation of an adult. Often, this type of activity is considered by parents to be ineffective and even unnecessary. However, its role in developing creativity and building social relationships is invaluable. Not without reason is it one of the favorite ways of spending time by younger children.

Every game undertaken by a child positively influences their development. Depending on the type of activities undertaken, it develops: perception, cognitive functions, motor skills, teaches adherence to rules and functioning in a group, facilitates the expression of emotions.

It is important to remember that a child learns through play, and it should be the main way of their activity. Time devoted to play is never time wasted.

Pedagogue Klaudia Sokołowska-Baryś for Marioinex Education